Tag: meringue

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Lemon Meringue Pie

What’s not to love about this time-honored dessert? It’s one of my all-time favorites. I’ve amped up this traditional recipe with a bit of extra lemon juice, a ton of fluffy meringue, and a lightly sweetened crust. The only down-side is the long cooling time required between preparation and om nom noms, but it’s definitely worth the wait.

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/3 cup Shortening
  • 2 tbsp. White Sugar
  • 3-4 tbsp. Ice Cold Water

Filling

  • 3 Egg Yolks
  • 1-1/2 cups White Sugar
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp. Corn Starch
  • 1-1/2 cups Water
  • 3 tbsp. Butter or Margarine
  • 3/4 cup Lemon Juice

Meringue

  • 5 Egg Whites
  • 1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
  • 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 9 tbsp. White Sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, blend together flour, salt, sugar, and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Slowly add water and mix until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and is fairly moist.
  4. On a heavily floured surface, roll dough into a large circle of a suitable size for your pie tin. (I’ve been known to make this pie in a round cake pan instead, to accommodate lots of filling and meringue.)
  5. Turn rolled dough out into pie pan and flute or crimp as desired.
  6. Prick the dough several times with a fork, on both the bottom and sides.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until light brown.
  8. Remove crust from oven and set aside.
  9. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
  10. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and set aside.
  11. In a medium-sized saucepan, mix together sugar and corn starch.
  12. Add water and place the saucepan over medium heat.
  13. Stir constantly and be patient! It will seem as if nothing is happening, and you will start to lose hope, and then suddenly the mixture will start to turn translucent, thicken, and bubble.
  14. Once bubbling, boil for 1 additional minute.
  15. Put a large spoonful of the hot corn starch mixture into the egg yolks, and quickly mix together.
  16. Stir egg mixture into corn starch mixture, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  17. Remove from heat, and add butter or margarine and lemon juice.
  18. Mix until butter or margarine has melted and lemon juice is completely incorporated.
  19. Pour filling into baked crust. Use a rubber spatula to get every delicious drop into your pie. (Then lick the spatula. Yum!)
  20. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whip egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla until foamy.
  21. Gradually add sugar and whip until stiff and glossy.
  22. Pipe meringue on top of filling, ensuring that the meringue is touching the crust all the way around, and the filling is completely covered.
  23. Bake in preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes, until meringue is light brown.
  24. Cool for at least 2 hours before transferring to refrigerator.
  25. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.*

*I know this is difficult, and that the pie with all of it’s lemony-fluffy-goodness is calling to you from the fridge, but cutting into this pie before it has completely set is a decision that is sure to lead to disappointment.

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Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

When you have a hankering for lemon meringue pie, but all of your plates and forks are in the dishwasher, this is just the ticket! This robust cupcake perfectly nestles the lemon curd (which is so tart and flavorful it’ll make your tongue curl), and you can go crazy loading these up with a ton of sweet and fluffy meringue. 

Ingredients

Cupcake

  • 1-1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 1-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 cup Whole Milk
  • 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/2 cup Water

Lemon Curd

  • 6 tbsp. Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 cup White Sugar
  • 6 Large Egg Yolks
  • 4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter

Meringue Frosting

  • 1-1/2 cup White Sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
  • 1-1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  • 6 Large Egg Whites

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cupcake liners.
  3. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and combine. Set aside.
  4. Add the milk, vegetable oil, lemon juice, and egg to a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
  6. Slowly add the water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined.
  7. Beat for an additional two minutes on medium speed.
  8. Fill the cupcake liners evenly and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and transfer to a baking rack to cool.
  10. To make the lemon curd, separate six eggs, reserving the whites for the meringue.
  11. Combine lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, and butter in a double boiler. Heat while gently whisking until mixture thickens and reaches 160 degrees, coating the back of a spoon. (Be patient and vigilant. This takes a while, but just when you think it will never firm up, it goes from soupy to thickened in a heartbeat!)
  12. Pour the lemon curd into a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed against the top of the curd to prevent a film from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool and firm, at least 2 hours. (If you want to speed things up, you can put the bowl in a bath of ice water, too.)
  13. Wait until the curd has cooled to make the meringue frosting.
  14. To make the meringue, combine the sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla extract and egg whites in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water.
  15. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm, to about 140 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.
  16. Beat the egg white mixture on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until very stiff, glossy peaks form.
  17. To assemble, use a cupcake corer to make a hole in the center of each cupcake. (Enjoy snacking on the cupcake middles while you do the rest!)
  18. Pipe the lemon curd into the center of each cupcake.
  19. Pipe the meringue frosting onto the top of the cupcakes.
  20. Toast the meringue lightly with a kitchen torch. (Be careful not to torch the paper cupcake liners! They are surprisingly flammable.)
  21. Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to serve.
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Chocolate Macarons

We’re going for the macaron trifecta today with this recipe! This macaron batter is a bit more temperamental, but well worth the effort as your kitchen will smell like rich cocoa while they are baking. I’ve paired these with a raspberry and cream cheese filling that is also great as a cake filling, and since you’re likely to have some left over, you might plan on making a lovely vanilla cake tomorrow. 

Ingredients

  • 4 Large Egg Whites
  • Pinch of Cream of Tartar
  • 3 tbsp. White Sugar
  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 cup Almond Flour
  • 1/8 tsp. Salt
  • 3 tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa
  • Nonpareils (optional)
  • 4 oz. (half-package) Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup (half-stick) butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/3 cup Raspberry Preserves
  • About 3 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 6-8 Drops Red Food Coloring

Directions

  1. Place egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and allow the egg whites to come to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  3. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  4. Place 2 cups powdered sugar, almond flour, salt, and cocoa in a food processor, and pulse until completely combined.
  5. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar at medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
  6. Increase speed to high, and gradually beat in sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the egg whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 more minutes.
  7. Gently fold almond flour mixture into whipped egg whites until thoroughly incorporated. (You will know it is mixed enough when it turns shiny and has the consistency of molten lava.)
  8. Spoon meringue into a pastry bag with a round tip.
  9. Pipe 1-1/2 inch disks of meringue onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie. (Be as consistent as possible, not only so that they all bake completely, but also to make them easy to pair up when you assemble them into little sandwiches.)
  10. After all macarons on a sheet have been piped, lift the baking sheet up a few inches, with your thumbs holding the parchment paper down, and slam the sheet down on the counter top several times. (This removes any air bubbles from the cookies, and creates the iconic macaron “foot”.)
  11. Sprinkle each macaron with just a few nonpareils. (Optional)
  12. Let the macarons stand at room temperature until the shiny surfaces become dull and a thin skin forms, about 30 minutes.
  13. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and place a heat-proof spoon in the oven door to keep it open just a smidgen.
  14. Bake until the macarons’ surfaces are completely dry, about 25-35 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the bake.
  15. When baked, remove from oven and lift the entire sheet of parchment paper, with the macarons attached off the baking sheet, and place on a baking rack to cool. (Note: If re-using a baking sheet that has already been in the oven for another batch, ensure that it is completely cool before piping more macarons onto it.)
  16. Once all macarons are completely cool, gently peel the parchment paper from the cookies.
  17. Beat together softened cream cheese and butter or margarine until smooth.
  18. Add raspberry preserves and food coloring, and blend until well combined.
  19. Gradually add about 3 cups powdered sugar, until the filling reaches a thick consistency suitable for piping.
  20. Refrigerate filling.
  21. When ready to assemble, pair macarons of similar size.
  22. Remove the filling from the refrigerator, stir briefly, and spoon into a pastry bag with a round tip.
  23. Pipe about a teaspoon filling into the center of one of each pair of macarons. (Each blob of filling should be about the size of a grape.)
  24. Put the second of each pair of macarons on the top of the piped filling, and very gently press down, creating a sandwich.
  25. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
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Lemon Poppyseed Macarons

Baking macarons is addictive, and this spin on yesterday’s recipe is a symptom of my addiction. There’s no 12-Step program for macarons, but there are 27 steps in this recipe, which is more than twice as good, right? This version pairs a poppyseed macaron with a rich, sweet lemon ganache-style filling that takes this classic flavor combination in a delicious direction. 

Ingredients

  • 4 Large Egg Whites
  • Up to 15 drops Yellow Food Coloring
  • 1-2/3 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1-1/3 cups Almond Flour
  • 1 tbsp. Poppyseeds (plus a little more for garnish)
  • 1/8 tsp. Salt
  • 1/4 cup White Sugar
  • 4 oz. White Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 cup Whipping Cream
  • 3 tbsp. Lemon Juice
  • Up to 10 drops Yellow Food Coloring
  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar

Directions

  1. Place egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and allow the egg whites to come to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 280 degrees.
  3. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  4. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 1-2/3 cups powdered sugar, almond flour, and poppyseeds.
  5. Beat the egg whites with salt and up to 15 drops yellow food coloring at medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
  6. Increase speed to high, and gradually beat in sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the egg whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 more minutes.
  7. Gently fold almond flour mixture into whipped egg whites until thoroughly incorporated. (You will know it is mixed enough when it turns shiny and has the consistency of molten lava.)
  8. Spoon meringue into a pastry bag with a round tip.
  9. Pipe 1-inch disks of meringue onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie. (Be as consistent as possible, not only so that they all bake completely, but also to make them easy to pair up when you assemble them into little sandwiches.)
  10. After all macarons on a sheet have been piped, lift the baking sheet up a few inches, with your thumbs holding the parchment paper down, and slam the sheet down on the counter top several times. (This removes any air bubbles from the cookies, and creates the iconic macaron “foot”.)
  11. Sprinkle each macaron with just a few additional poppyseeds.
  12. Let the macarons stand at room temperature until the shiny surfaces become dull and a thin skin forms, about 20 minutes.
  13. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and place a heat-proof spoon in the oven door to keep it open just a smidgen.
  14. Bake until the macarons’ surfaces are completely dry, about 16-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the bake.
  15. When baked, remove from oven and lift the entire sheet of parchment paper, with the macarons attached off the baking sheet, and place on a baking rack to cool. (Note: If re-using a baking sheet that has already been in the oven for another batch, ensure that it is completely cool before piping more macarons onto it.)
  16. Once all macarons are completely cool, gently peel the parchment paper from the cookies.
  17. Place the white chocolate chips, lemon juice , and up to 10 drops yellow food coloring in a medium-sized bowl.
  18. Heat the whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it just starts to boil.
  19. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute.
  20. Whisk ganache until smooth.
  21. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, and continue whisking until the filling is completely combined and smooth.
  22. Chill the filling in the refrigerator until it thickens to a consistency suitable for piping, about 30-40 minutes.
  23. Pair macarons of similar size.
  24. Remove the filling from the refrigerator, stir briefly, and spoon into a pastry bag with a round tip.
  25. Pipe about a teaspoon filling into the center of one of each pair of macarons. (Each blob of filling should be about the size of a grape.)
  26. Put the second of each pair of macarons on the top of the piped filling, and very gently press down, creating a sandwich.
  27. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
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Macarons with Chocolate Ganache

This recipe makes about thirty-six Macarons: light and crisp meringue sandwich cookies. If you looking for “Macaroons” (with two “O’s”), the disgusting coconut cookie that’s a waste of sugar, look elsewhere. (Coconut is shredded evil in my book!) These French confections are a little tricky to make, but once you’ve got the hang of them you’ll be addicted to creating different color and flavor combinations.

Ingredients

  • 4 Large Egg Whites
  • About 10-15 drops Food Coloring*
  • 1-2/3 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1-1/3 cups Almond Flour
  • 1/8 tsp. Salt
  • 1/4 cup White Sugar
  • 4 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 1/2 cup Whipping Cream
  • 2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, room temperature

*The macarons will be much lighter in color than the batter after they are baked, and since macarons traditionally have bright colors, you can go a little crazy with the food coloring.

Directions

  1. Place egg whites into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and allow the egg whites to come to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 280 degrees.
  3. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  4. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and almond flour.
  5. Beat the egg whites with salt and food coloring at medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
  6. Increase speed to high, and gradually beat in sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the egg whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks, about 3 to 5 more minutes.
  7. Gently fold almond flour mixture into whipped egg whites until thoroughly incorporated. (You will know it is mixed enough when it turns shiny and has the consistency of molten lava.)
  8. Spoon meringue into a pastry bag with a round tip.
  9. Pipe 1-inch disks* of meringue onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie. (Be as consistent as possible, not only so that they all bake completely, but also to make them easy to pair up when you assemble them into little sandwiches.)
  10. After all macarons on a sheet have been piped, lift the baking sheet up a few inches, with your thumbs holding the parchment paper down, and slam the sheet down on the counter top several times. (This removes any air bubbles from the cookies, and creates the iconic macaron “foot”.)
  11. Let the macarons stand at room temperature until the shiny surfaces become dull and a thin skin forms, about 20 minutes.
  12. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and place a heat-proof spoon in the oven door to keep it open just a smidgen.
  13. Bake until the macarons’ surfaces are completely dry, about 16-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the bake.
  14. When baked, remove from oven and lift the entire sheet of parchment paper, with the macarons attached off the baking sheet, and place on a baking rack to cool. (Note: If re-using a baking sheet that has already been in the oven for another batch, ensure that it is completely cool before piping more macarons onto it.)
  15. Once all macarons are completely cool, gently peel the parchment paper from the cookies.
  16. Place the chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl.
  17. Heat the whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it just starts to boil.
  18. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute.
  19. Add the butter in small chunks, and whisk ganache until smooth.
  20. Chill the ganache in the refrigerator until it thickens to a consistency suitable for piping and not runny, about 45-60 minutes.
  21. Pair macarons of similar size.
  22. Remove the ganache from the refrigerator, stir briefly, and spoon into a pastry bag with a round tip.
  23. Pipe about a teaspoon ganache into the center of one of each pair of macarons. (Each blob of ganache should be about the size of a grape.)
  24. Put the second of each pair of macarons on the top of the piped ganache, and very gently press down, creating a sandwich.
  25. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.

*I found a fantastic template for piping macarons at SouthernFatty.com. You can download it from their website here.

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