LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES

It's only Feb, but spring is approaching - not that the weather is giving us much of a hint. But Mother Geraldine's birthday is in two months which means Lemon Meringue season! Instead of a pie this year, I'm making these little delightful treats. Again, I'll win the best Daughter of the Year Award...heck, I'll win the Best Child She Ever Had Award!

Let me know what you think. This photo and recipe is from Tamara Leigh: The Kitchen Novelist.

Lemon Filling:
3 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. lemon zest, loosely packed
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Cupcakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Meringue:
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar

1) Make lemon filling: In small saucepan over low heat, whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour, and salt; whisk in lemon juice, lemon zest, water, and melted butter; increase heat to medium and, whisking constantly, cook until lemon filling is smooth and thick, about 7 minutes; remove from heat and set aside
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
3) Make cupcakes: In medium bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, lemon juice, baking powder, and salt; beat in flour until just combined
4) Divide cupcake batter between 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan; bake 15-16 minutes until center of cupcakes firms up; remove cupcakes from oven and cool 5-8 minutes (do not turn off oven)
5) Meanwhile, make meringue: beat egg whites with salt until mixture begins to stiffen; add sugar and beat until meringue is stiff and forms pretty peaks (don't overdo it)
6) With a sharp knife, remove center of each cupcake (about 1" in diameter), leaving a layer of cupcake beneath cut out; discard cupcake core (or treat the weary baker to a tart little snack); fill cupcake centers with lemon filling
7) Divide dollops of meringue between cupcakes, spreading out to edges and gently tapping with back of spoon to form peaks; return cupcakes to oven and bake an additional 5-6 minutes until meringue peaks are golden brown; remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes; refrigerate an hour or more before serving
Makes: 12 absolutely delicious cupcakes

SpicyBrandt
stradercom@aol.com
Finding Great Recipes!

Amish Friendship Bread

April Fool Day
10 days ago, I was gifted a starter batch of Amish Friendship Bread (not vegan). The name alone is an oxymoron. Really which one of my friends want me to massage dough and release it's explosive fermented contents for 10 days. My Mother, of course. Hubby called it a Baking Chain Letter, where you actually feel guilty if you don't share the 4 starters with four of your closest friends, neighbors... or daughter.

So I "mushed" the bag, as the instructions called for, 5 days then added 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of milk;  and then resumed the mushing another 5 days. It really called for little effort, until day 10.  Sorry Amish, but this is not bread. We call this Spice Cake.  Bread does not require Instant Vanilla Pudding, 3 eggs, 2 more cups of flour, 1 cup of oil another 1/2 cup of milk and cup of sugar, cinnamon that's baked on a bed of cinnamon and sugar all on the 10th day for baking. And if that isn't sweet enough be sure to sprinkle another 1/4 cup of sugar and 1.5tsp of cinnamon on the top.

Here's the recipe closest to the one given to me! Amish Friendship Bread Recipe.

If I would have timed this correctly, I could have made a cream cheese icing and passed it as dessert for Easter Sunday dinner.

The hardest part of the experience, is inflicting my 4 starter batches of Amish Friendship "love" on 4 of my friends. Guess it was Mother's April Fools trick on me!

Spicy Brandt
stradercom@aol.com

Fake Hollandaise Sauce

Not Vegan Choice!
Why would you make fake Hollandaise sauce? Recipes involve either soy, mayo, milk. I would opt for the real thing if I have to use non-vegan products anyway.

My top goal: Go natural and mayo doesn't meet that requirement, unless it's homemade mayo.

So here I go, with 3 egg yolks, 1TBS lemon juice and 1/2 cup butter ( I use less, but it's not as thick). I wonder if I use cashew butter if it will still be good?

Truth is, I eat less than 2 TBS of hollandaise sauce per serving. But if you have gallstone issues, drink Apple Juice. I like mine fresh, but any apple juice will do.

Any recommendations on a good vegan Hollandiase sauce. ?

Kathleen Brandt
stradercom@aol.com