Lemon Sponge Cake With Italian Meringue And Blackberry Puree Food

LEMON SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3. Butter a deep, loose-bottomed, 18cm cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and caster sugar together with an electric whisk until fluffy and pale in colour. Crack the eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the lemon zest. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ½ tsp salt, then fold in the yogurt.
• Spoon the mixture into the lined tin, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in the centre of the oven for 50-55 mins, or until golden brown on top and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Will keep in an airtight container for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to a month.
• When you're ready to decorate, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and beat in enough of the lemon juice to create a thick icing. Set the cake on a serving plate or cake stand, then spoon over the icing, allowing it to drip down the sides a little. Top with the lemon zest or candied peel, if using (see below), and cut into generous wedges to serve.
• To make candied lemon peel, peel large, wide strips from the lemons using a vegetable peeler. Remove any pith with a knife, then julienne the peel into very thin matchsticks. Tip the granulated sugar into a saucepan with 200ml water and set over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon peel and simmer gently for 15 mins, then scoop the peel out using a slotted spoon and set on a piece of kitchen paper to cool. Use to decorate the top of your cake.

LEMON SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites (SAVE THE YOLKS) and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and beat until very stiff. Do not underbeat. Set aside.
• Beat yolks until blended. Add remaining 1 1/2 cup sugar and beat until blended. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the cold water.
• Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Add the lemon juice and mix it in gently.
• Bake in an ungreased tube pan 60-70 minutes at 350 degrees. Invert and cool completely before removing from pan.

LEMON SPONGE CAKE WITH ITALIAN MERINGUE AND BLACKBERRY PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter individual tart pans.
• Carefully rinse blackberries and pat dry. (Set aside the 12 berries for garnish).
• Puree the half pint of berries in a food processor or blender until smooth, then strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer; discard seeds.
• Stir 1 tbsp sugar into puree, set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour, cake flour and salt and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with 2 1/2 tbsp sugar until thick and lemon-coloured.
• Stir in lemon zest and vanilla.
• In another bowl, beat 3 egg whites along with cream of tartar to soft peaks.
• Gradually beat in 3 tbsp sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Quickly fold beaten egg whites into egg yolk mixture.
• Fold in flour mixture until just combined.
• Quickly fold in melted butter.
• Divide mixture evenly among tart pans; gently smooth tops.
• Place tart pans on baking sheet.
• Bake about 15 minutes until cakes are lightly browned and set in centre.
• Cool on wire rack, then remove from pans.
• In small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water and remaining 3/4 cup sugar.
• Cook over medium heat until syrup reaches 238 F on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat.
• Beat remaining three egg whites to form soft peaks, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• With the mixer running at medium speed, add syrup in a slow stream.
• Continure beating until meringue is cool and stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place cakes on a baking sheet.
• Divide meringue evenly among cakes and spread over the top (or the meringue also can be spooned into a pastry bag with a large round tip and piped over the cakes).
• Place cakes under the broiler until edges are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• To serve the cakes, garnish each with a couple of blackberries and drizzle a little blackberry puree around each cake.
• Serve immediately.

LEMON MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Start by making the curd. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and whisk together. It will look like it has curdled but don't worry - simply put the pan over a low heat and stir constantly until it is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Leave to cool, covered with cling film. Put in the fridge until ready to use, preferably overnight.
• For the caramel sugar syrup, heat the caster sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat until it melts and starts to caramelise. Stir until smooth and a deep golden colour. Remove from the heat and carefully pour in 50ml boiling water. It will steam and spit a little, so take care. (If the sugar hardens, pop the pan back on the heat for 1-2 mins to melt again.) Stir, pour immediately into a heatproof jug and top up with a little extra boiling water (about 10ml) so you have 100ml of liquid in total. Leave on one side to cool.
• To make the cake, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease 3 x 20cm sandwich tins, lining the bases and sides with baking parchment.
• In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Mix in 1 tbsp flour, then add the eggs, a little at a time, beating after each addition until fully combined.
• Mix together the remaining dry ingredients, the lemon zest and 1/2 tsp salt, then fold in to the butter mixture with the caramel sugar syrup. Divide the batter between the tins and level the tops with the back of a wet spoon. Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peeling off the parchment. Leave to cool completely.
• Make the caramelised lemon slices while the cakes are baking. Slice the lemon into 5mm thick slices, discarding the ends. In a shallow non-stick pan, bring 350ml water and the sugar to the boil. Add the lemon slices, boil for 10 mins, then reduce the heat to a simmer for 20-25 mins until the liquid has evaporated and the slices have caramelised. Remove from the pan and put on a non-stick A silicone mat or baking parchment to cool.
• To assemble the cake. Place a sponge the right way up on a cake board or presentation plate. Top with an even layer of curd but don't go right to the edge, leave about 1cm uncovered. Gently put the next sponge on top and repeat the process, putting the last sponge upside down on top.
• To make the Italian meringue, put the sugar and 175ml water in a saucepan and B bring to a rolling boil over a high heat. Continue to boil until it reaches 115C on a sugar thermometer. Meanwhile, put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl (a tabletop mixer is ideal if you have one). Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks (when lifting the whisk out, the peaks should slowly vanish back into the mixture). Whisk the egg whites at high speed and very slowly trickle in the hot syrup. The meringue will C begin to thicken and go glossy after about 10 mins. Continue to whisk until it is still just warm. Use the meringue immediately, as it is easier to work with while warm.
• Using a palette knife, spread a thin layer of meringue around the side of the cake to level and square it up, then spread an even layer about 3mm thick on the top of the cake (see step-by-step for guidance). Put the remaining meringue in a large piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle and pipe vertical columns up the side of the cake, level with the top. Finally, pipe small meringue stars on the top of the columns. It's easier to do this with the cake on a turntable.
• Brown the meringue using a kitchen blowtorch. Finally, cut the caramelised lemon slices in half and use to decorate the top of the cake. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.