Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

When life hands you lemons, make these Lemon Meringue Cupcakes – they're a zesty twist on a classic delight! Featuring Thriving Family, a deliciously creamy and vitamin-packed addition to this gluten free and refined sugar free recipe. With the luscious lemon curd centre, sweet almond flour cake, and cloud-like Swiss meringue you’ll be sure to taste citrus sunshine in every bite.

Ingredients

PANTRY ITEMS

Lemon Curd

3 large egg yolks

½ cup maple syrup

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

¼ cup room temperature butter,

Cut into chunks

Lemon Cupcakes

¾ cups almond flour,

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

⅔ cup agave nectar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons lemon zest

½ cup milk

Swiss Meringue

4 egg whites

½ cup agave syrup

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

Gear

Blow torch with gas

Temperature gauge (for meringue)

Piping bag with nozzle

NUTRA ORGANICS PRODUCTS

¾ cup Thriving Family Smooth Vanilla

Method

MAKE LEMON CURD

Using the double boiler method (a heat proof bowl over a saucepan with a little simmering water) add the egg yolks, maple, lemon juice and zest, into the top of your bowl. Whisk until combined and then continue to whisk as the lemon curd cooks (make sure you continually whisk to prevent it from curdling).
Continue to whisk for 10-15 minutes or until it becomes thick and saucy. (Gently increase the heat if it’s not thickening)
Once thickened, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk butter into the lemon curd until smooth. Let cool to room temperature and then cover and store in the fridge.
Note, you can also do this a day ahead of making the cupcakes

MAKE THE CUPCAKES

Preheat the oven to 175 c and line a 12 cup cupcake tray with cupcake liners
Whisk the almond flour, thriving protein, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl
In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, agave nectar, eggs, lemon zest together until combined
Add the mixture and milk, stir to combine
Pour about ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner (they should be about halfway full) Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean
Let cool on a wire rack. Make sure cupcakes cool completely before filling and topping with meringue

MAKE THE MERINGUE

Create a double boiler again.
In a heat proof bowl, whisk the maple and lemon juice into the egg whites then place the bowl over your double boiler. Don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.
Stir the whites and maple constantly with a spatula until the temperature reaches 80 C
Place the bowl on the stand mixer or using old school electric beaters, on medium-high, beat the mixture until soft peaks form. Then add in vanilla extract and beat on high until stiff peaks form.

ASSEMBLE

Use a cupcake corer to remove the centre of each cupcake, then fill with 1-2 teaspoons of cooled lemon curd
Fill the meringue into a piping bag, then swirl on to the top of each the top of each cupcake
Using a kitchen blowtorch, gently brown the edges of the meringue
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve

Notes: If dairy free use vegan butter and almond milk

Servings: 12 cupcakes
Ready in: 4 hours
Difficulty level: A bit chefy