For this very first Master Class, I wanted to start with an easy recipe: the lemon meringue layer cake. In fact, I qualify as Master Class any recipe that takes more than an hour to make. This one requires some organization but isn't overly technical (okay, Italian meringue is a bit, but nothing insurmountable if you have the right tools).
I had wanted to try an American-style cake recipe, like a wedding cake, for a long time. Until now, I have never tasted a layered cake that was as good as it was beautiful. It's generally stunning but in terms of taste it's never transcendent (I even tested a cake at a wedding made by one of Paris's most recognized shops and yet few guests really appreciated the dessert).
The lemon meringue layer cake: perfect for birthdays
For my birthday, I took the opportunity to test a recipe from a book I just received (beautiful by the way): "Journal of a Food Stylist" by the blogger "Call me cupcake". As I was saying, nothing too complicated on paper. I just struggled a bit with the baking which is always a bit "touchy" on layered cakes.
For my part, I was forced to split the cakes in half to finish baking them which made them a bit dry despite the soaking syrup I added to keep them moist. Livia, the great specialist in layered cakes from "La Lettre Gourmande", recommends baking them one at a time to avoid the problem. I have to admit it bugs me a bit to wait 4 hours for my cakes to bake AND cool enough to assemble. So I'll test her cooking nail technique next time to diffuse heat from the center of the cake and ensure even baking.
Making Italian Meringue
Another departure I made from the original recipe, I made my Italian meringue in cooked sugar version that you pour over egg whites whipped with a mixer. I use this technique because with the Kitchen Aid and electronic thermometer, I can let the robot whip the whites on its own while waiting for the syrup to beep when it reaches the right temperature (that's when I take the opportunity to tidy up my kitchen a bit and generally that's no luxury!).
A quick note on equipment
This sidebar will let me give a quick overview of utensils. Since culinary school, it's true I'm quite well equipped but you don't need 1000 euros worth of equipment to succeed at a dessert. However, sometimes certain utensils are required to get a satisfactory result. If a mixer is absolutely not necessary (my dad serves as helper holding the whisk when I cook at my parents' house), buying a thermometer is essential to succeed with this recipe (but at 8.99 euros for the thermo/beeper/timer at IKEA, it would be a shame to go without).
Another small tip for anything citrus: buying a multi-plane grater. Okay, yes, it breaks my heart to put 20 euros into a grater but it's amazing and seems essential to me to get finely grated zest without pith (the bitter white part of the lemon we want to avoid).
For the pan, I used a 15 cm diameter by 7.5 cm high Wilton pan (which I filled twice with the amount of batter made). Again, this type of pan isn't essential, a regular cake pan will work just fine and will probably make baking longer but easier (I think at 20 cm diameter the batter allows baking in 3 times).
Another technical detail, American recipes strongly recommend lining your pan with parchment paper to ensure easy unmolding. Honestly, this step bothers me and I don't do it. I've never had a problem unmolding but I butter generously and my pans are immaculate without knife marks.
Assembly of the lemon meringue layer cake
Getting back to the meringue, if you don't have a mixer or dad/friend/partner... on hand to hold the whisk, I recommend using the original method of the recipe which consists of beating the whites in a double boiler directly on the baking sheet (but this technique doesn't exempt you from controlling the temperature well and therefore owning a thermometer). For assembly, I invite you to check the Chocolate pumpkin layer cake recipe for details.
Verdict? The cake is magnificent, I don't think there's any debate about that. Edible? Absolutely! Good? Yes. My tester colleagues appreciated it despite some justified remarks about it being a bit heavy due to the baking. As good as a simpler cake without layers? Definitely not for me with this version. It's a good recipe but it hasn't yet convinced me about layer cakes.
BUT, to be completely impartial and before I make a definitive judgment, I'll need to test again with the right equipment to ensure top-notch baking. So it's definitely not my last layer cake.
I'm curious to hear your opinions, what do you think of layer cakes? Do you have any tips for more evenly distributed baking?
