LEMON CURD CUPCAKES MARY BERRY RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with cases.
• Put the sponge ingredients into a bowl and whisk using an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Spoon the mixture evenly between the cases. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until golden-brown, risen and springy to the touch. Set aside to cool completely.
• Cut a deep circle in the centre of each cake (about the width of a £2 coin) and pull out a walnut size of sponge to leave a hole. Spoon 1 teaspoon lemon curd into each hole, making sure the curd is level with the top.
• To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric hand whisk until stiff. Gradually add the sugar as you continue whisking on full speed, until you have a stiff glossy mixture. Spread or pipe on the top of each cupcake and sit back in their tins.
• Use a chef’s blowtorch to brown the meringues or slide the tray under the grill. Watch carefully and remove when golden-brown.
• Sprinkle with the freeze-dried strawberries.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees and place a rack in the center. Grease a 9-by-12-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together butter and half of the sugar (225 grams/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary (mixture will look curdled, and that’s O.K.). Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape into prepared baking pan, smoothing the top.
• Bake until golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then use the paper overhang to lift the cake out of the pan; transfer to wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and carefully remove paper.
• While cake bakes, in a small bowl mix together remaining half of the sugar (225 grams/1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) and enough lemon juice to make a runny mixture. While cake is still warm, spoon the sugar mixture evenly over the top. (The cake has to be cooled slightly to prevent topping from melting, but warm enough that it soaks into the cake, leaving a crunchy sugar coat on top.) Let cool, then cut into squares.