Homemade lemon curd is a thing of beauty. Layer it with meringue and you have a showstopper of a cake!
Ingredients
- For the meringue
-
- 8 free-range
egg whites - 400g/7oz white
caster sugar
- 8 free-range
- For the lemon curd
-
- 4
lemons, zest and juice - 110g/4oz
butter - 175g/6oz
caster sugar - 4 free-range
eggs, beaten - 500ml/18floz
double cream
- 4
- To serve
-
- 50g/1¾oz physalis (
Cape gooseberries) - 2
passion fruit, seeds only - 50g/1¾oz
cherries - 50g/1¾oz
redcurrants
- 50g/1¾oz physalis (
Preparation method
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For the meringue, preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas1.
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Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks are formed when the whisk is removed.
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Gradually add the sugar and continue to whisk until soft peaks are formed again. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle.
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To make a template, draw four 20cm/8in diameter circles onto baking parchment and place on a baking sheet.
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Starting in the centre of each circle, pipe the meringue in a spiral to fill the circle, keeping the meringue height as low as possible.
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Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.
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Turn the oven off but leave the meringues in there for at least two hours. When crisp, remove from the oven and leave to cool.
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For the lemon curd, place the lemon zest, juice, butter and sugar into a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Don’t let the bowl touch the water).
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Whisk occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved then beat in the eggs and whisk until thickened and cooked through.
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Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
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Whisk the double cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed, then fold in the lemon curd and mix gently.
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Spoon into a piping bag and snip the end off, giving a width of about 1.5cm/½in.
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To assemble the cake, place a meringue disc onto a serving plate.
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Pipe the lemon curd cream in a spiral onto the meringue to cover totally.
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Place another meringue disc on top and repeat with the cream.
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Repeat with the remaining meringue and cream, finishing with meringue on top.
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Decorate with the fruit and serve in wedges.