The kids picked another awesome recipe from Apples for Jam last week, and we enjoyed a nice Saturday morning in the kitchen together whipping up this amazing Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Cake. We also thought it would be fun to make these into lots of hand-cakes the next time friends come over. Enjoy!
Lemon Curd Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 4 egg yolks
- ¾ cups superfine sugar
- 3 Tbl butter, cut into bits
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
"This is for the lemon meringue ice cream cake, (because is gives you something perfect to make with your egg whites), but you can also just make this on its own and serve it with a bowl of cherries or raspberries. If you won't be making the meringue layers, then freeze your egg whites until you need them to make pavlova."
Bring a pan half-full of water to a boil and them lower the heat to the absolute minimum. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a wide glass or stainless steel bowl and whisk until they are thick and creamy.Sit the bowl atop the pan of water [I used a double boiler for this], add the butter and let it melt. Whisk until it starts to get thicker and creamier, then add the lemon zest and juice and carry on whisking until it thickens. It doesn't have to be cooked out like a proper lemon curd, but just until it has thickened and the egg is cooked through from the warmth of the simmering water.
Meanwhile, warm the milk a little. Whisk it into the lemony eggs and then remove the bowl from teh heat. Whisk from time to time until it's cook before you shisk in the cream. Put the bowl in the fridge until it's compeltely cook and then, if your bowl doesn't have a lid, pure the mixture into one that does [I just covered my pot with foil].
Cover the bowl and put in the freezer. After an hour, give the mixture an energetic whisk with a hand whisk or an electric mixer. Put it back in the freezer and whisk again after another couple of hours. When the ice cream is nearly firm, give one last whisk and put back in the freezer to set. [I whisked mine every hour until it was firm]. (Makes 7 cups)
Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients:
- 7 cups lemon curd ice cream
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1 ½ Tbl desiccated coconut
- A few drops of vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
"I like to throw some petals over the top of this, or some whole cherries or raspberries. It is really very lovely on a Summer or Spring day. When you come to putting the cake together, take out your ice cream beforehand so that it is manageable and you don't break up the meringue when you're trying to spread it. However, too soft and it may drip down the sides - you'll have to decide, according to reason."
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Get two sheets of parchment paper and , on each one, draw around the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch circular pan. Put each sheet of paper on the baking sheet.
For the meringue, put the egg whites into a comfortable wide bowl and whisk until they are firm and glossy. Add a third of the sugar and carry on whisking until they are even stiffer, then add another third of the sugar. Whisk again until the meringue is almost climbing the beaters. Add the last of the sugar and the coconut, vanilla, and vinegar, whisking them in quickly and well.
Divide the meringue into two and spread half over each circle, flicking your wrist and using a spatula to smooth it out. Make a very slight indentation in the top of each.
Put both in the oven for 45 minutes, then swap them around and bake for another 45 minutes, or until they are firm and pale beige. Turn off the oven and leave them inside for 10 minutes with the door slightly ajar before removing them to cool completely. If you will not be putting the cake together immediately, wrap the meringues in plastic wrap.
To assemble, take the ice cream out of the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes in advance so that it softens a little and you can spread it more easily. Put a layer of meringue onto a lovely and freezer-friendly serving plate. Spoon the ice cream on top and spread it gently to cover the meringue, leaving just the edges showing. Top with the next layer of meringue. Cover with plastic wrap and put back into the freezer until you are ready to serve it.
Let the cake soften for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it, using a clean cut instead of sawing so that you don't destroy the meringue. It might crack a bit, but that's fine, as long as it stays intact. (Serves 10-12)
