Dessert Cupcakes - Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

First of a series of dessert themed cupcakes I am planning to make. This first one is a Lemon Meringue Cupcake. I had a little help from my little girl Niamh today too : )

We started by making the cupcakes, we followed the same recipe for the Vanilla cupcakes in an earlier post, although we left out the vanilla as the lemon curd added later gives enough flavour - https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=899605640553638927#editor/target=post;postID=113073759303182014

This recipe will make approximately 16 cupcakes. bake as directed.

Meringue Ingredients
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar
a pinch of salt

whisk the egg whites (preferably in an electric mixer) for 5-6 minutes until they form peaks and the mixture stays in the bowl when it is turned upside down : )

Whilst still Beat add the sugar and salt mix a little at a time. beat for 7 -8 mins until you have glossy smooth stiff peaks. When you rub a little of this mixture between two of your fingertips it should not feel at all grainy, if it does continue beating. Line a baking tray with baking parchment with little blobs of meringue under the corners of the paper to hold on the tray. Set up a piping bag with a star shaped nozzle and fill with the meringue mix.

When the cupcakes are baked turn the oven down to 110C

Pipe the meringue tops, I had one of the muffin cases to hand so that I knew the size I was going for. Once piped you can decorate with sprinkles or decorations like my little butterflies as these sugar decorations do not seem to be affected by further baking. Put the meringues into the oven for one hour and then turn the oven off and leave for a further hour.

When meringues have cooled, Make a hollow in each cupcake so that the top would sit neatly on top. Fill this hollow with Lemon curd and level off. Then simply top with a meringue.