I'm just three days away from the food fair and I'm up to my ears in cheesecake, cookie dough and cupcakes. But I'm taking a quick break to tell you all about my latest gluten free venture - lemon meringue cupcakes.
I hadn't really thought seriously about trying them because I'd assumed they'd be incredibly complicated, especially since I don't own a blowtorch. Always thought I'd look mega cool wielding one but never got round to buying one (surely everyone looks pretty awesome holding a lit blowtorch??).But then, a few weeks ago, a customer put in a request for them. Eek!
The cupcake part was pretty easy, but then I had to tackle the part that really worried me - the meringue. A lot of the recipes I came across just used a normal meringue...which meant the inside of the meringue would be raw egg, and that just doesn't sit right with me. So the only option was an Italian meringue. Why so scary? You have to make a hot sugar syrup and pour it slowly into the egg whites.
I have to say, the outcome was dead exciting for a first-timer! The sugar syrup was easy-peasy, but pouring it into the mixer was tricky because you can't get any on the beaters; it'll stick to them and/or flick the scalding hot syrup back out at you! Ack! But when you pour it in, it starts emitting steam from the egg whites, which looks VERY cool. The end result is light, fluffy, cloud-like meringue and it's beautiful. And then comes the REALLY exciting part - blowtorching! Haha! Oh, the power you feel holding a blowtorch...I had a couple of practise goes before turning on the cupcakes, but all in all, I think they turned out pretty darned well! What do you reckon!?
The great news is, I can now offer these cupcakes on my website (yay!) at www.buttercupbakerybournemouth.co.uk, and I'll be selling them at the food fair on Saturday. Hope to see you there!
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