Jim Hagy from Chef’s Market made Lemon Curd Cupcakes. Chef's Market Catering and Restaurant is located at 900 Conference Dr., Goodlettsville, TN 37072. For more information or menu details visit www.chefsmarket.com or call (615) 851-2433. Look for Chef’s Market on Facebook and @chefs_market on Twitter and Instagram.
Chef's Market Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Lemon Cake Recipe
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon Lemon Extract
Instructions for Cupcakes:
Line one 24 cupcake muffin pan or two 12 muffin pan
Sift cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside.
Combine milk, oil, lemon juice, lemon extract.
In mixing bowl cream butter and and cream cheese. Add sugar and beat until fluffy on medium speed two minutes.
Incorporate eggs one at a time.
On low speed, alternate the cake flour and milk ending with the flour. Mix on high until just combined.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until cupcake springs up in the middle with your touch. There will be little dome.
Lemon Curd Ingredients:
3 Lemons
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/8 tsp of salt
Zest of 3 lemons
1. Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of three lemons, being careful to avoid white pith. Put zest in the processer. Add sugar and pulse until zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
2. Cream butter. Beat in sugar and lemon mixture. Add eggs one at a time. Add lemon Juice and salt until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir constantly. The lemon curd with thicken at about 170 degree F. Remove from the heat, cool and refrigerate
Meringue Frosting Recipe
1 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1. Combine the sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla extract and egg whites in a large mixer bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan or pot of simmering water. You can also use a double boiler. 2. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm, to 160 degrees on a thermometer, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat. 3. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes.
Instructions for Assembling the Cupcakes
To fill the cupcakes, use a small paring knife to cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake, making a well about 1-1 1/2 inches deep. Spoon a small amount of lemon curd into the well.
Frost with cupcake with the Meringue Frosting using a piping bag. Toast lightly with a kitchen torch.
