Lemon Meringue Angel Food Cake
Serves: 3
Camila Dooley
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
52
Spice
52
Sweetness
52
Sourness
37
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.1
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1 cup
Water1 cup
Cake Flour (sifted)1 cup
Granulated Sugar1 tsp
Salt1 tsp
Cream Of Tartar1 tsp
Vanilla1 tbsp
Lemon Zest (finely grated)2 large
Egg2 tbsps
SugarDirections:
1
For the cake: Place fresh, cold egg whites and cold water in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer
2
Set aside until they are 60 degrees, or slightly below room temperature
3
Pour flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and salt into a triple sifter or sieve
4
Sift onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside
5
Adjust rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 325 degrees
6
Set nearby a dry, un-greased 10inch tube pan
7
Such a pan allows the batter to cling to the sides and rise to its full height
8
Place a long-necked bottle or large metal funnel nearby for inverting the baked cake
9
Whip egg whites, preferably with a whisk attachment until frothy
10
Add cream of tartar and whip on medium speed until soft peaks form
11
Continue whipping and gradually add the 1 cup granulated sugar until whites have thickened and form soft droopy white peaks
12
Add the vanilla and lemon zest in the final moments of whipping
13
Sprinkle one-quarter of the flour mixture over the whites, and with a rubber spatula, fold into the whites
14
Repeat this process with the remaining flour mixture, folding in only one-quarter of the flour mixture at a time
15
Gently pour the batter into an un-greased tube pan
16
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is light golden, the cake feels spongy and springs back when touched, and a wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out free of cake
17
Invert cake onto the neck of a bottle or funnel
18
Cool completely before removing from pan
19
To remove cake from the pan, slip just the tip of a small metal spatula between the cake and pan
20
Slowly trace the perimeter to release any cake sticking to the pan
21
Tilt the cake pan on its side, and gently tap the bottom against the counter to loosen the cake
22
Rotate the cake pan, tapping as you turn it a few more times, until it appears free
23
Cover the cake with a rack or cardboard round, and at the same time that you invert the cake onto the work surface, tap it firmly onto the surface
24
Lift the pan from the cake
25
For the filling: In a 1 1/2 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk briefly to combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest
26
Add the pieces of butter, and place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly over the entire bottom
27
Cook the mixture without boiling until it begins to develop body and thicken
28
Remove from heat and pour through a stainless steel sieve into a bowl
29
Cover the surface with plastic wrap, poke a few small slits in the plastic with the tip of a paring blade allowing steam to escape while cooling
30
Refrigerate (curd will thicken)
31
For the frosting: In a 3-cup saucepan, combine the water and 2/3 cup sugar
32
Place over low heat to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat to medium high and boil, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 235 degrees
33
(Wash down any sugar crystals slinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water
34
) Near the end of the boiling time, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form
35
Add the 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue to whip until the whites are stiff but not dry
36
With the mixer running, pour the syrup onto the whipped whites
37
Continue to whip on medium speed, about 3 minutes more
38
Mixture will thicken, cool and form glossy, stiff peaks
39
Add the vanilla
40
Cool to room temperature, about 8 to 10 minutes, then frost cake right away
41
Assembling the dessert: Cut cake into three layers
42
Spread the lemon filling equally between the two layers; top with remaining layer
43
Frost top and sides of cake with Italian Meringue Frosting