Pink Meringue Cupcakes with Raspberry Curd

I have found the Martha Stewart recipe section. It is a HUGE problem.

Valentine's Day makes me very ambitious, so I took on my most complicated project yet-- and it wasn't so bad! I watched the video on Martha's site, and I was like, "Yeah, I could handle that."

Ingredients

--Meringue--
Vegetable oil cooking spray (for baking cups)
6 large egg whites, room temperature (very convenient-- you need the yolks for the curd)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
Red food coloring

--Whipped Cream--
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioner's or powdered sugar

--Raspberry Curd--
1 container (6 ounces) raspberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 225. Line every other cup of 2 nonstick 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups; coat with cooking spray. You need to do every other one because these get EFFING HUGE and they will try to eat each other. I did not do this. And it was my misfortune.

2. Whisk egg whites, vinegar, vanilla, and salt with a mixer on medium-high speed until frothy.


Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, making sure the sugar dissolves. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Mix in food coloring until pink (6-12 drops).


3. Now comes the scariest phrase in baking, "Transfer mixture to a pastry bag." I have the Pampered Chef piping gun and it's BEAUTIFUL. Get it. It will change your life. Although it does look remarkably like a trouser snake enlargement pump. Anyway. Pipe the meringue into the baking cups about 2 inches above rims, finishing with a peak in the center.


4. Bake, rotating halfway through, 3 to 3 hours and 20 minutes. (Cupcakes should be completely dry on the outside but still soft in the middle. A toothpick inserted horizontally at base of top should have moist but cooked crumbs attached.). Let cool completely.

5. Beat heavy cream and confectioner's sugar to make whipped cream.

6. Whisk all ingredients for raspberry curd together. They're so pretty! All the colors!


Set in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until slightly thick (8-10 minutes). Strain and then refrigerate until cold and thick.

7. Carefully slice off tops of cupcakes using a serrated knife. (Run the knife just above the liner and slowly work your way to the center.)


8. Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons raspberry curd, a few raspberries, and 2 tablespoons whipped cream.


Replace tops, and serve immediately.



Now the quantities are a bit off. I made 2 batches and came out with this much:


So ... yeah. I got 18 from 2 batches but Martha says you get 12 from one batch.

Also, side note-- they do not travel especially well.

Another note-- I have actually no idea how to eat these. At all. Most people settled on upside down with a fork, but hey-- however you can figure to get them in your mouth.

Enjoy!


- Jezebel