Meringue Cake

Meringue Cake

• 125g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup caster sugar, extra

1. Preheat oven to moderate. Grease and line cake pan
2. Beat butter, sugar and egg yolks in medium bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Using wooden spoon, stir in combined sifted flour and cocoa, the combined buttermilk and sour cream.
3. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add extra sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar dissolves between additions.
4. Spread cocoa cake mixture into prepared pan. Top it with the beaten egg whites and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle nuts or cherries if u want.
5. Bake cake in moderate oven around 30 minutes.

Serves 12.

This cake is best made on the day of serving.

Lemon Meringue Pie

This high rise pie is sure to impress. The lemon gives it a wonderful tang. The crust is easy to make and the chocolate compliments the lemon.

For the Crust

One packet chocolate biscuits

One egg white

Process biscuits in food processor until fine crumbs form. Add the egg white and pulse until crumbs are moistened. If they still do not come together, add one tablespoon of melted butter and pulse.
Press this evenly over bottom and sides of pan, and bake at 175 C for 10-15 minutes, until firm. Set aside to cool.

For the Filling

1 cup caster sugar

1/3 cup flour, sifted

1/3 cup cornflour, sifted

2 tsp finely grated lemon rind

11/4 cups water

3/4 cup lemon juice

90g butter, chopped

4 egg yolks, lightly beaten

To make filling, mix sugar, flour, cornflour,rinds, water and juices in a saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes, until mixture boils and thickens.
Reduce heat and cook, stirring contantly, for 3 minutes. 
Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter and egg yolks. Set aside to cool completely.
Spread filling evenly over pastry shell and set aside.

For the Meringue topping

4 egg whites

3/4 cup caster sugar

To make topping, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in castor sugar and continue beating until glossy and stiff peaks form. Spoon topping over filling. Bake at 180 C for 5-10 minutes until meringue is lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

Serves 8


Tips

• To make the Meringue topping, the egg whites can also be beaten with 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar to get stiff peaks.
• Refrigerate it if it is not going to be consumed immediately, otherwise the meringue will start 'weeping' and slip off the filling below it.

Source: Grandma's Cooking, slightly tweaked!