Tangy Lemon Meringue!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes - Graham cracker crust, vanilla cake, filler and layered with lemon curd and topped with toasted meringue

Create a 'crust' out of crushed graham crackers, sugar and melted butter.  Press crust into bottom of lined cupcake tin and bake about 5 minutes at 350 or until golden.  Fill 3/4 tin with a yellow or white cake batter.  Bake at 350 for about 15-18 minutes or until golden.

Once cooled, top with a thick layer of lemon curd and toasted meringue.

Lemon Curd

6 egg yolks, 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold and cut into quarters

1 tablespoon lemon rind, grated

 

Beat the egg yolks until well blended and pour into a saucepan. Add sugar  and lemon juice and cook over low heat constantly stirring for about 15 minutes.  Cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and add butter quarters one at a time and mix until melted. Add lemon rind and store in airtight container and refrigerate until cooled. (overnight works best)

 

"Meringue" which is technically a 7 minute frosting

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water
 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temp

Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar with the water and corn syrup in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil until dissolved and reaches 230 degrees. As you are waiting for it to reach the needed temp, whisk egg whites in a bowl with electric mixer until peaks form.  Add 2 tbs sugar and beat with egg whites until combined.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating to combine.

As soon as sugar syrup reaches 230 degrees, remove from heat and pour the sugary syrup down the side of the bowl of the egg white mixture.  Mix at med-high speed until stiff and cool to the touch, normally about 5-7 minutes.  Pipe or dollop into spikes, as pictured, and gently toast with a kitchen torch or under your broiler for about 30 seconds.