Lemon Meringue Cake

Soft lemon sponge topped with tangy lemon curd, creamy lemon mousse and fluffy toasted meringue🍋 The layers literally melt in your mouth and have the perfect balance of sweet & tart.

Recipe’s for a 8 inch (20cm) pan.

Lemon sponge:

106g eggs

65g sugar

24g almond flour

30g all-purpose flour

8g cornstarch

1g baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

15g unsalted butter, melted to 50C

zest of half a lemon

1. Beat the eggs, sugar and lemon zest together on a high speed for about 4-5 minutes until light (pale yellow color) and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and beat for 2 more minutes (to get rid of big air bubbles).

2. Sift together the dry ingredients and gently fold into the egg mixture using a spatula.

3. Take about 3 tablespoons of the batter and mix with the melted butter. Pour this into the remaining batter and fold to combine.

4. Pour the batter into a greased 20cm (8 inch) pan (I put parchment paper on the bottom and greased the sides). Bake at 160C for about 16~17 minutes (until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean). Let cool, then trim the top of the sponge with a knife.

Lemon syrup:

75g water

17g sugar

4g lemon juice

1. Boil the water and sugar together for a minute. Let cool, then add the lemon juice.

Lemon curd:

120g sugar

zest of 2 lemons

120g lemon juice

2 whole eggs

60g egg yolks (about 4 egg yolks)

60g unsalted butter

pinch salt

1. For the lemon curd insert, wrap the bottom of a 16cm ring mold with a cling film and place a strip of parchment paper/acetate around the ring.

2. In a small saucepan, mix the sugar with lemon zest. Add the lemon juice, eggs and egg yolks and whisk well to combine.

3. Cook the mixture over low heat, whisking continuously, for about 8 minutes (or until it reaches 90C).

4. Remove from heat, then whisk in the butter and add the salt to taste. Strain the lemon curd through a fine sieve.

5. Pour 210g of lemon curd into the prepared ring mold. Flatten the top using a spatula and freeze for a few hours until completely set. Keep the rest of the lemon curd in a bowl (for lemon mousse) and place a cling film directly on the surface of the curd. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Lemon mousse:

170g lemon curd

100g whipping cream

3g platinum gelatin leaves (=3.8g gold leaves, 23g gelatin mass)

300g whipping cream, cold

pinch salt (optional)

1. Place the lemon curd in a large bowl and heat in a microwave until warm. Whisk well.

2. Hydrate the gelatin leaves in cold water. Heat 100g of whipping cream in a microwave until hot. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add to the cream. Mix well to melt the gelatin.

3. Pour the hot cream into the lemon curd and whisk well.

4. Beat 300g whipping cream to soft peaks (like yogurt texture). Add 1/3 of the cream to the lemon curd mixture and fold to combine using a spatula. Fold in the rest of the cream. Add the salt to taste.

Italian Meringue:

30g water

117g sugar

65g egg whites

25g sugar

15g lemon juice

1.5g platinum gelatin leaves (=1.9g gold leaves, 11.3g gelatin mass)

1. Hydrate the gelatin leaves in cold water until softened. Squeeze out the excess water.

2. Place the lemon juice in a small bowl and microwave until warm (35C-40C). Add the gelatin and mix well until there are no lumps.

3. Place the water and 117g of sugar in a small saucepan and cook until the syrup reaches 118C.

4. While the syrup is cooking, whip the egg whites and 25g sugar to medium-stiff peaks.

5. When the syrup reaches 118C, gradually pour the syrup into the egg whites, whisking continuously. Add the lemon + gelatin mixture and whip to stiff peaks (until the bowl is no longer hot).

Assembly:

1. Place the sponge inside a 20cm ring mold lined with acetate.

2. Brush the sponge with lemon syrup.

3. Place the frozen lemon curd insert in the middle of the sponge.

4. Pour the lemon mousse on top of the insert and flatten the top. Refrigerate for about 4 hours until the mousse is set. *If you’re making this in advance, you can freeze the cake at this point and defrost it in the fridge on the day of serving.

5. Spread the Italian meringue on top of the mousse and make some swirls with a spatula. Remove the acetate and brown the meringue using a blowtorch.