Emma McGahern of Meet Me In the Morning returns with a perfect Sunday treat.
I love this recipe because the batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and once cooked they will keep for about 5 days in an air tight container. Italian Meringue can be made two days in advance and keep in the fridge, I generally store it in a piping bag but a bowl with cling film also works.
- 120g Butter -Beurre noisette (which means melted browned butter)
- 220g icing sugar
- 90g Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 80g Ground Almond
- 1 ½ lemon zest
- 230g Egg whites
- First up Beurre noisette which meant to brown your butter- in a small pan melt your butter on a medium to low heat and allow it to foam it should then start to smell nutty and turn brown – this should take about 4-5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
2. Sieve icing sugar, flour, baking powder into a bowl along with the ground almonds and lemon zest give it a good mix.
3. With an electric whisk lightly beat the egg whites.
4. Fold in the egg whites into the dry ingredients in 3 additions .
5. Once combined pour over the cooled (room temperature) butter and fold in.
6. Scrape down the edges and cover the batter with cling film (you want the cling film to be touching the batter) and refrigerated for at least 2 hrs or over night
7. Lightly butter Mini Dariole Mould / muffin / cupcake tin and pour in the batter leaving 1cm from the top
8. In a pre-heated oven @200C bake for 15-20 mins – until golden brown on top.
note: The Dariole Moulds will hold more batter and will take about 20 mins, while the cupcake / muffin tins will take 15mins. Depending on what moulds you use it will make 8 – 10.
Lemon Syrup:
- 120g Caster Sugar
- 60g Lemon Juice
- 100g Water
Put all ingredients into a small pot on a medium heat and allow the sugar to dissolve, then bring to the boil (2-3mins)
Italian Meringue:
- 120g Caster Sugar
- 35g Water
- 2 Egg whites
- Bring the sugar and water to a boil – with a food thermometer cook the sugar to 120C
2. In a bowl, while waiting for your sugar to come to temperature, begin to whisk your egg whites using an electric whisk to soft peaks.
3. When your syrup has reached temp, turn down the speed on the mixer and slowly add in the syrup. Then turn the speed back up and mix on a high speed 4 mins or until the bottom of the bowl cools.
Assembly:
Remove the Fanciers from the tin, dip into the syrup and pipe or spoon your Meringue on top. If you have a blow torch use it to brown the Meringue.
