This cake is a classic in the Anglo-Saxon world, almost on the same level as the apple cake. There are contests, it is taken to birthdays or to entertain the host who invites you and you even compete on social networks to see who has the best recipe.
It is a short pastry base (the one that does not rise) filled with a lemon-flavored dough, all topped by a meringue that gives it great appeal. And it is already known that desserts are also eaten with the eyes and this cake is the one that raises murmurs of admiration among the guests without a doubt.
INGREDIENTS :
For the base and filling:
- 1 short pastry sheet (bought in the supermarket)
- 250 grams (9 oz) of granulated white sugar
- 300 ml (1 cup and a half) of water
- 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons of cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 butter spoons
- 4 egg yolks (don't worry, we use the whites for the meringue, nothing is wasted)
For the meringue:
- 4 whites (you see, nothing is wasted)
- 100 grams (3.5 oz) of granulated sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 2 or 3 drops of lemon juice
To make this cake we need a mold, preferably silicone and if not possible disposable or metallic previously greased with butter, about 22 cm (8.6 inches) in diameter and with a height of 2 or 3 cm (0.8-1.2 inches).
In this mold, after greasing if necessary, we place the sheet of short pastry and raise it around the edges, cutting off the excess.
In a saucepan over medium heat, pour the water, the sugar, the flour, the cornstarch, the juice of the two lemons and the zest from their skin, as well as the butter. The juice obtained from the lemons must be at least half a cup. If there is not enough juice, add another lemon.
Let it cook, mixing well and stirring constantly, until it starts to boil. Remove and reserve until cool enough not to set the egg. When it has tempered we add the beaten egg yolks, mix well and pour over the short pastry. This filling should still be hot, so be careful.
Now we are going to mount the whites to the point of snow. We add a pinch of salt and 2 or 3 drops of lemon juice to facilitate the task and with the rods or electric rods we mount them. At the middle of this word we add the sugar little by little. When the whites are very firm (when turning the bowl they do not fall) we can incorporate them on the base, on top of the lemon filling, until it forms a cone shape. Now comes the grace of the pie, which are those golden peaks of the meringue, as you can see at the top photograph of this post.
To make the peaks, it is enough to use a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon so that we touch the meringue with the tip of them and then extract it quickly. In this way the peaks will be created in a simple way. Of course, if you don't make them, nothing happens, the taste is not altered at all.
Now is the time to preheat the oven to 180 degrees (356 F) and bake the cake for 15 minutes or until the famous "peaks" are golden brown, a sign that the meringue is done.
It is removed from the oven and allowed to cool to room temperature and then in the refrigerator, if required.
The lemon and the meringue give this cake a very special flavor.
