Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

1. To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 340°F. Fill 15 cups of 2 cupcakes pans with liners.

2. In a bowl, mix the milk and eggs. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, baking powder and lemon zest (of all 3 lemons). Add butter and half the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Whisk for 1 minute, then add the rest of the egg mixture. Whisk until batter is smooth.

3. Fill the cupcake pans 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 340°F for 20 minutes.

4. In the meantime, make the syrup: Heat 1/3 cup lemon juice with 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar in a pan over medium heat. Remove from heat as soon as it starts boiling. When you take the cupcakes out of the oven, pierce the tops with a toothpick, then spread the syrup on them. Let them cool.

5. To make the meringue: Start beating the egg whites. In a pan over high heat, add 1/2 cup water and 1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute after it starts boiling. Add this syrup little by little to the egg whites as you beat them. Keep beating until stiff and cool.

6. Once the cupcakes and the meringue have cooled down, decorate them with the meringue (pipe or spread it onto the top of the cupcakes). Broil the meringue-topped cupcakes for 1 to 4 minutes in the oven, until the tops are slightly brown.

Source: l’atelier des sens.