Last week with celebrated my beautiful big sister's birthday! I offered to make a birthday dinner for her. I obviously didn't what I was getting myself into, since my sister is pregnant and super nauseated! My mother to the rescue however, who brought crab which surprisingly didn't make my sister nauseated at all! The baby is truly part of our family :) We all had a great time celebrated with my sweet sissy.
One thing I did successfully make however where these Lime Meringue Cupcakes! Oh my, the moment I made that lime curd, I just about died and went to heaven!! So good... the recipe is down below after the pics!
My dad using a torch to help brown the Meringue!
Using the torch to light the candles.
My nephew blows out all the candles in this family!
My sister's beautiful family!
Lime Meringue Cupcakes (by Shelly Kaldunski, from a book my cousin gave my for Christmas)
I actually did not care much for the actual vanilla cupcakes themselves. Next time when I make this recipe, I'm gonna stick to my favorite standard cupcake recipe. Try it, but I suggest you do the same!
Vanilla Cupcakes:
Ingredients: 1 1/4 c flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 cup sugar, 6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature, 1 large egg plus 1 large egg white at room temperature, 1tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup whole milk,
Cupcakes: 1. Preheat Oven to 350 2.Lightly spray a cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray. 3. In a bowl, whisk together four, baking powder, and salt. 4. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. 5. Add egg and egg white one at a time beating well on low speed after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. 6. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating the milk in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined. 7. Beat on medium-high speed just until no traces of flour remain, about 30 seconds, do not overbeat 8. Divide the cupcake batter evenly into the muffin cups. 9. Bake about 18-20 minutes until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 10. Let cupcakes cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. 11. While the cupcake are cooking, make the lime curd, below. 11. Using a paring knife, halve each cupcake horizontally. 12. Spread 2 tsps lime curd on each cupcake bottom, then replace the tops. Spread each cupcake top with about 2 teaspoons lime curd. 13. Make Meringue Frosting as below. 14. Frost top of cupcakes with Meringue frosting. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the meringue.
Lime Curd: Ing: 6 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup sugar, 4 large egg yolks, Pinch salt, 4tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, 2 tsp finely grated lime zest.
1. In a heavy-bottom non-reactive saucepan, whisk together the lime juice, sugar, egg yolks, and salt. 2. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat whisking constantly and scarping the sides of the pan, until curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5-8 minutes; do not let the curd boil or it will be lumpy. 3. Remove the saucepan from the heat. 4. Whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until smooth. 5. Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. 6. Stir in the lime zest and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. 7. Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1hr or for up to 3 days.
Meringue Frosting: 3 large egg whites, 3/4 cup sugar, 2tbsp water, 1tbsp light corn syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract.
1. In a large, clean heatproof bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, water, and corn syrup. 2. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (160 degrees) about 2 minutes. 3. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. 4. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the mixture until glossy and voluminous, about 5 minutes. 5. Beat in the vanilla. Use right away.
