Made with Love, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

JH's girlfriend is interning in Guangzhou, and JH, over lunch, was pondering what to get her as a present when he went up to see her over the weekend.

JH: "I actually really want to make her something. Bake something. A cake. Cookies. I dunno," said JH. "Tiramisu? It means 'pick me up' literally...but it's what wives used to make for their husbands went off to the war..." I said.
"I don't think it'd survive the three hour train journey it's too hot in China," he said.
...

"You could look through my Hummingbird Cake Days recipe book and see what there is? There's a cupcake version of a tiramisu maybe that would last longer," I offered.

So that's what we did, and as we were deliberating betweenTiramisu Cupcakes and Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, my phone buzzed.

D: "I'm walking past by your house!"
"Come in! I'm there! Do you want to make cupcakes for your girlfriend too?" JH had already called him the minute I showed him the text.

And that's how I ended up giving two love-struck boys a cookery lesson, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes 101.

Trust guys with grocery shopping. They forgot baking powder. So we had to trek out in the rain to get baking powder since I'd run out at home. Oh well I guess turning up at mine at 11 in the morning with all ingredients except the baking powder was enough of an achievement for them.

Work of the boys, and they kept bickering over who had spilt the most batter. Children nowadays...watching them slowly spoon the batter into each muffin tin was a teeny bit painful. I know I could have done that in half the time they did, yet at the same time it was so sweet to see the look of concentration on their face as they tried not to drip anything over the table or the edge of the muffin tin. Their girlfriends are so lucky to have them.

I tell them one tablespoon of baking powder, they put a heaped tablespoon instead of a level tablespoon (I guess to them it did not really make a difference) and cupcake batter kind of exploded out forming 'growths' onto these cupcakes...

Meet Ellie the Elephant. I found it really amusing that a cupcake would turn out with a trunk and proceeded to give her ears. Some people were less impressed. But I liked her.

JH even found cupcake boxes. They do look good enough to sell, and credits to the boys because all I did was just to instruct them what to do, plus boil the sugar to reach the soft boil stage when making the meringue. Oh and putting them into the mini-oven we have at home.

I later had tea with mum, one Lemon Meringue Cupcake each, with Fortnum and Mason Smoky Earl Grey. She loved it.

I'd never have thought Lemon Meringue Cupcakes would bring about so much love.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

(from The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days)

For the sponge

80g unsalted butter, softened

280g caster sugar

240g plain flour

1tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Finely grated lemon zest of 1 lemon

2 large eggs

240ml whole milk

For the filling and frosting

200g caster sugar

4 egg whites

70g lemon curd

muffin tin

Preparation

1.   Preheat the oven to 190°C, line a muffin tin with cases

2.   Using an electric whisk, beat together the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest until the ingredients are well incorporated and resemble fine bread crumbs.

3.   Break the eggs into a jug, add the milk and whisk together by hand. Pour 3/4 of the milk and eggs into the dry ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium and keep beating until smooth and thick, scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time. Pour in the remaining milk and eggs and continue to mix on a medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. 

4. Spoon the batter into the paper cases, filing each by about 2/3. Bake in the oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until risen and springy to touch. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack. The cakes will need to cool completely before you frost them.

5. Frosting: put the sugar into a small saucepan, cover with water (about 150ml) and bring to boil. Meanwhile, using the electric whisk, whisk egg whites until just foamy.

6. Allow sugar to boil for 5-10mins until it has reached the soft-ball stage, then pour sugar onto the egg whites and whisk together with the electric whisk. When all the sugar has been added increase the speed of the whisk until the underside of the bowl feels lukewarm. The meringue should have quadrupled in size, be very white, smooth and shiny.

7.   Once the cakes have cooled, lay them out on a tray. Slice the top off the cupcake with a knife so it is flat if needed, and hollow out half of the middle of the cake. Use a teaspoon to fill in the holes with lemon curd.

8.   Top the cakes with the prepared meringue, using a tablespoon and swirling to make it resemble the topping on lemon meringue pie. If you don't have a blowtorch, pop the frosted cupcakes under a hot grill for a few minutes (depends on the strength of the grill, mine took 5 minutes) until they brown.

Soft-ball stage

To check whether the sugar syrup has reached the soft-ball stage, use a spoon to drop a small amount into a bowl of very cold water. If the syrup has been cooked to the correct heat, it will form a soft ball in the water. Removed from the cold water, this ball won't retain its shape but will flatten in your hand.