What do you want to be when you grow up?




Remember being asked that question when you were little? Me too.




My answers varied from dancer and fairy, to “someone who is with animals” and cricketer.




Infinitely more exciting than my brother, I’d say, who usually answered liftman and policeman.




Here are the two of us monsters.







My love for baking didn’t arrive until much, much later in my life. It’s funny how that happens.




Suddenly one day you do something and think- Oh my god! This is amazing! Why haven’t I been doing this all this time?




A few months ago, watching Junior Masterchef Australia and those crazy talented kids on the show made me wonder about how lucky it is to find what you’re good at early in life. These kids can give an adult chef a serious run for his/her money. Their passion really reinforces the fact that age has nothing to do with talent.




They were all super talented kids in the kitchen, but their poise, sportsmanship, and gentleness was what made them truly lovable to me.




I have been wanting to try Isabella’s (Junior Masterchef winner!) Lemon Meringue Cupcakes for a while. It wasn’t as easy as she made it look, but they were delicious nonetheless.







The cupcakes are slightly unusual because the recipe asks for cream instead of butter. So the cupcakes are more dense than fluffy, but that helps when you have to carve out a piece from the centre to fill with lemon curd.







Speaking of Lemon curd- even if you don’t want cupcakes, make this lemon curd. It is so divine, I can guarantee you will lick the spoon and pan and bowl and whatever else the lemon curd touches- clean. It would be lovely as lemon tart filling too. Will try that soon 🙂







The meringue gets beautifully golden after only a few seconds in the grill, but retains a creamy softness inside.







All together, a posh looking cupcake with a yummy lemon curd heart.







If nothing else, just make the lemon curd. You will be a happy child 🙂







Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Adapted from: Isabella’s recipe




Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Makes: 12




Ingredients:




250 ml cream
225 g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
225 g flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt




For the lemon curd




juice of 3 lemons
100 g butter
110 g caster sugar
1 egg
3 egg yolks




For the meringue




3 egg whites
110 g caster sugar




Method:




For the cupcakes




1. Preheat the oven to 180º C. Line a 12-hole cupcake tray with paper liners.
2. Put the cream, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until well combined. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt and add this to the cream mixture, a little at a time continuing to whisk until it is smooth.
3. Evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool in the tray.




For the lemon curd




1. Put the lemon juice and the butter in a non-stick pan, and heat over a low flame until the butter melts. Add the sugar, egg, and yolks and whisk non-stop until the mixture becomes smooth and thick. It’s essential that you’re whisking continuously and briskly after the adding the eggs, or they might scramble. If you feel the pan is too hot, take it off the heat for a while to cool a bit and then put it back on the flame again.
2. Pour the lemon curd into a shallow tray or plate and leave to cool.




For the meringue




1. In a clean, dry bowl whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until you have firm peaks. Add the sugar a little at a time and continue whisking. Transfer the meringue mixture into a piping bag with your choice of nozzle.




Assembly




1. Preheat the grill setting of your oven to 160º C. Cut a round hole in the centre of each cupcake and scoop out a small piece. Fill the hole with some lemon curd.
2. Pipe meringue over each cupcake carefully. Then place the cupcakes in the oven for about 1 minute (more if you want your meringue darker- but be careful it burns quickly). Remove from the oven and enjoy! 🙂







Here’s a peep inside!