After looking at several recipes for lemon meringue cupcakes, I decided that the whole 'cupcake' should be meringue. I suppose this would technically be considered a cupcake-shaped meringue. These delightful little desserts can be topped with sweetened whipped cream and drizzled with a tangy mixed berry syrup before serving.
You will need:
6 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 tsp lemon juice OR 1 tsp white vinegar
2 cups sugar (add 1/4 cup at a time to avoid deflating meringue)
1. Grease a 12-cup muffin/cupcake tray. Be sure to grease the top of the tray, not just the cups, incase sugar bubbles over. (If sugar cooks to the tray, it is not fun to wash off.) Line cups with 12 cupcake holders and spray with cooking spray.
2. Separate the whites of 6 eggs from the yolks. Discard the yolks (or use in another recipe).
3. Add vanilla extract, salt, and lemon juice OR white vinegar.
5. Whip using an electric whisk (or extreme woman/man power) until mixture begins to thicken, add sugar 1/4 cup at a time to avoid deflating meringue. Meringue is ready when you pull whisk out and the meringue stays peaked. There's also that old trick about holding the bowl upside down....
6. Spoon meringue into cupcake holders, even with the top.
7. Heat oven to 220 F/ 100 C and bake meringues for 3 1/2 hours. Turn off heat and allow meringues to remain in the oven for another half an hour.
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The berry sauce can be made in several ways. If using fresh berries, it may be a good idea to give them a spin in a food processor/blender, if tinned just immediately add to saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly and add sugar to taste. It should be noted that tinned berries may already be packaged in a sweet syrup. When syrup is of desired taste/consistency either allow to cool, or press through a sieve to remove bits.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream and berry sauce.
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