Lemon Sponge Cake With Italian Meringue And Blackberry Puree

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 pint blackberry
• 12 small blackberries, for garnish, divided
• 6 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons cake flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/4 cup water

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 butter individual tart pans.
• 3 carefully rinse blackberries and pat dry. (set aside the 12 berries for garnish).
• 4 puree the half pint of berries in a food processor or blender until smooth, then strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer; discard seeds.
• 5 stir 1 tbsp sugar into puree, set aside.
• 6 in a large bowl, stir together flour, cake flour and salt and set aside.
• 7 in a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with 2 1/2 tbsp sugar until thick and lemon-coloured.
• 8 stir in lemon zest and vanilla.
• 9 in another bowl, beat 3 egg whites along with cream of tartar to soft peaks.
• 10 gradually beat in 3 tbsp sugar until stiff peaks form.
• 11 quickly fold beaten egg whites into egg yolk mixture.
• 12 fold in flour mixture until just combined.
• 13 quickly fold in melted butter.
• 14 divide mixture evenly among tart pans; gently smooth tops.
• 15 place tart pans on baking sheet.
• 16 bake about 15 minutes until cakes are lightly browned and set in centre.
• 17 cool on wire rack, then remove from pans.
• 18 in small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water and remaining 3/4 cup sugar.
• 19 cook over medium heat until syrup reaches 238 f on a candy thermometer.
• 20 remove from heat.
• 21 beat remaining three egg whites to form soft peaks, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• 22 with the mixer running at medium speed, add syrup in a slow stream.
• 23 continure beating until meringue is cool and stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• 24 place cakes on a baking sheet.
• 25 divide meringue evenly among cakes and spread over the top (or the meringue also can be spooned into a pastry bag with a large round tip and piped over the cakes).
• 26 place cakes under the broiler until edges are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 27 to serve the cakes, garnish each with a couple of blackberries and drizzle a little blackberry puree around each cake.
• 28 serve immediately.