lemon meringue cupcakes

first of all, sorry for the too many pictures i attached here and a too-long-post i wrote down here. i can't help my self! hoho ;p

i have always wondering how a proper lemon meringue pie would taste since i ever made that once before but i didn't like it. it's too sour for me, next time i'll try another lemon meringue pie recipe.

o yeah, the last time i told you that i want to make an okonomiyaki. darn! it's not delicious at all. hahaha. it was tasteless and i also didn't have my japanese seasoning here in my kitchen. should buy it! hehe.

i also just bought a new recipe book! yay! it's called 'The Golden Book of Patisserie', good book indeed. and inside i found lemon meringue bar recipe. BUT, i still haven't got too much time on making a bar. so today i made lemon meringue cupcakes for the warm-up (?). hehe.

here goes the Lemon Meringue Cupcakes recipe..


Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
(Krystina Castella as usual)

lemon cupcakes:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (don't forget the word 'fresh')


direction:

1. preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. insert liners into a medium cupcakes pan.
2. in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. add the eggs one at a time to creamed mixture, beating 1 minute after each addition.
3. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk. mix until completely integrated. add the lemon zest and lemon juice. mix the batter for 30 seconds.
5. fill the cupcakes liners three-quarters full. bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. cool cupcakes in the pan.

lemon icing:
4 cups confectioners sugar (can be reduced until it's achieve the spreading consistency)
1/4 pound unsalted butter
3 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 lemon juice
few drops of yellow food coloring, optional


direction:

1. in a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and food coloring until spreading consistency is achieved. (please remember that icing is thinner than frosting..)

meringue:
1 large egg whites
1/3 cup caster sugar
almond halves, to decorate


direction:

1. preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
2. beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until frothy. with mixer at high speed, gradually add the superfine sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
3. fit a pastry bag with your favorite tip. fill the pastry bag, and squeeze out generous mounds, spacing 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. decorate the top with the almond halves.
4. bake for 1 hour and 20-30 minutes, or until crisp and dry to the touch. transfer to racks to cool.

finishing:

1. when cupcakes have reached the room temperature. pour a generous spoonful of icing and spread it over the cupcakes top.
2. put the meringue on top of the icing and let the icing harden a little.

what happens in my kitchen?

1. i didn't use fresh lemon juice though i have a lemon in my refrigerator. i used the store bought bottled lemon juice. do not follow me! it's a big no no. it ruined the taste, and it didn't taste like lemon, i taste just sweet indeed. hoo..
2. when i made the meringue, i didn't completely look at the recipe. i just combined the method on making meringue and macaroons. so i bake the meringue with the oven door slightly ajar and i overbaked it! please take a good care on the meringue while you bake it, don't let it turn brown..

so, that's all the recap for today. hahaha. actually last wednesday i also made a delicious french toast. i'll post it later, but i'm so sorry the picture is not as tempting as the toast itself.

okay, then.. HAPPY BAKING! :)