passover week 2019 - coconut meringue lemon curd cake
Welcome to the final day of Passover Week 2019, and the last recipe is for a coconut meringue lemon curd cake. The cake was adapted from this Australian Women's Weekly recipe for an almond meringue lemon curd cake.
I was really tired when I made this and I shouldn't be let loose in the kitchen when I haven't had enough sleep. I made the curd before I went to the gym but I was in a hurry so the curd was under cooked. When I returned from the gym it still hadn't set so I had to cook it for another few minutes. I make a very similar cake using chopped dark chocolate, dates and almonds folded into meringue, which is baked at 180°C then left in the oven to cool. It has never failed me. My oven is a cool oven and I should know better than to try and bake a cake at 160°C, the suggested baking temperature but I tried anyway.
That approach didn't work. When I removed the cake from the tin I discovered it wasn't cooked through, so back it went into the oven for a further 45 minutes. I also forgot to chop the coconut flakes and it wasn't until I needed to cut the cake that I realised my error. Eventually I managed to get something edible, but it took twice the time it should.
Here's the recipe for a 17cm coconut meringue lemon curd cake with updated instructions. Double all the ingredients if you'd like to make a 23 cm cake and the baking time will remain the same. For all my recipes I use a 250 ml cup, a 20 ml tablespoon, unsalted butter and 60g eggs. My oven is a conventional gas oven so if your oven is fan forced you may need to reduce the oven temperature by 20°C.
You’ll need to start this recipe the day before serving. Make the curd first, followed by the cake. I decorated the cake with some home made candied lemon rind but that step isn't necessary. The blueberries are enough.
Coconut meringue cake
75g coconut flakes
2 egg whites
½ cup caster sugar
60g white chocolate, grated coarsely
1 cup cream
Lemon curd
1 punnet fresh blueberries
Lemon curd
2 egg yolks
½ cup caster sugar
⅓ cup lemon juice
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
60 g (2 oz) softened unsalted butter
Lemon Curd
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, juice and rind in a heatproof bowl until just combined. Place bowl in the microwave and cook on medium high for 5- 6 minutes, whisking every minute, until the curd thickens to the consistency of whipped cream. Strain the curd through a fine sieve. Add butter to the lemon curd a little at a time, whisking well between additions. Cover the curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill and set (at least 4 hours or overnight).
Coconut Meringue Cake
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Insert the base of a 17cm spring-form pan upside down to make cake easier to remove. Grease and line the tin with baking paper.
Spread coconut in a single layer on an oven tray; roast uncovered until the flakes are golden. Cool then chop finely.
Beat egg whites with 2 tbs of the sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Add remaining sugar; beat on high speed 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Fold in the grated chocolate and the chopped toasted coconut. Spread mixture into pan then bake meringue for about 45 minutes until lightly coloured and the top is dry. Leave the cake to cool in the switched off oven with the door ajar.
Remove the cake from the tin and discard the baking paper. Beat the cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form. Divide in half returning one portion to the fridge. Mix 3-4 tbs lemon curd into the remaining cream or to taste. Beat again until thickened then spoon the curd mixture onto meringue. Refrigerate the cake overnight.
Just before serving spoon remaining whipped cream onto cake; top with blueberries. Serve immediately.
I took the cake into work and it was declared 'frigging delicious". I really do need to make this one again but properly next time. I do hope you enjoyed Passover Week 2019. In just under 3 weeks I'll be heading overseas so for the next few weeks, expect a slew of travel photos.
See you all again soon.
Bye for now,
Jillian
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