Best Frozen Lemon Meringue Cake Recipes

FROZEN LEMON MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Make meringue layers:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 200°F.
• Using the bottom of the springform pan as a guide, draw 2 (8-inch) circles on one sheet of parchment and a third (8-inch) circle on the second sheet of parchment. Turn paper over (circles will be visible).
• Beat whites with cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then increase speed to high and continue beating until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 4 minutes in a stand mixer or 8 to 10 minutes with a handheld. Divide meringue mixture among 3 circles, spread evenly within lines, and gently smooth tops. Bake until firm and very pale golden, about 2 hours, then let stand in turned-off oven (door closed) until firm, about 1 hour. While meringues bake, put ice cream in refrigerator to soften.
• Slide parchment sheets with meringue layers onto racks to cool completely. Carefully lift meringue and peel off parchment.
• Make curd while meringues bake:
• Whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar, yolks, whole eggs, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture is thickened and just reaches a boil, about 6 minutes. Transfer lemon curd to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Assemble cake:
• Line springform pan with 2 crisscrossed sheets of plastic wrap. Arrange 1 meringue layer (trimming if necessary) flat side down in springform pan and spread 1 cup ice cream over it, then evenly spread half of lemon curd over ice cream. Cover curd with another meringue layer, then spread remaining cup ice cream over meringue. Spread remaining curd on top, then cover curd with remaining meringue layer, flat side down. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
• About 1 hour before serving, put cake in refrigerator to soften slightly. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to platter, then cut into wedges with a long serrated knife.

FROZEN LEMON CREAM MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the meringue layers:
• Line a buttered baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and on it trace 2 squares, using the top and bottom of a 9-inch-square pan as a guide (one square will be slightly larger than the other). In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating, and beat the whites until they hold stiff, glossy peaks. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip, pipe it to fill in the squares, and smooth the tops. Bake the meringues in the middle of a preheated 275°F. oven for 1 hour, or until they are firm when touched lightly and very pale golden. Remove the meringues with the parchment from the baking sheets, let them cool, and peel off the parchment carefully. With a serrated knife trim the meringue layers so that the smaller one will just fit inside the bottom of the pan and the larger will just fit inside the top of the pan. Reserve the trimmings.
• Oil the pan with vegetable oil and line it with plastic wrap, leaving about a 5-inch overhang all around. Put the smaller meringue layer, smooth side down, in the lined pan. Stir the reserved meringue trimmings, crumbled, into the lemon cream, pour the filling into the pan, smoothing it, and top it with the remaining meringue layer, smooth side up, pressing gently. Fold the plastic-wrap overhang over the top to enclose the cake. Freeze the cake, wrapped well, overnight, or until it is frozen solid.
• Make the icing:
• In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the orange-flavored liqueur, let it soften for 1 minute, and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved. In a bowl beat the cream until it just holds stiff peaks, add the gelatin mixture in a stream, beating, and beat the icing until it holds stiff peaks.
• Unwrap the cake and unmold it onto a serving plate, discarding the plastic wrap. Spread a thin layer of the icing on the top and sides of the cake. Transfer the remaining icing to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip (such as basketwork one) and pipe it over the cake. Chill the cake for no more that 1 1/2 hours, decorate it with the lemon slices and leaves, and cut it into squares with a serrated knife.
• Make the lemon cream:
• In a heavy saucepan melt the butter with the sugar, the cornstarch, the lemon juice, and the zest over moderately low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. In a bowl whisk together lightly the whole egg and the yolks and add the butter mixture in a stream whisking. Transfer the mixture to the pan and cook it over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the curd is thick enough to hold the mark of the whisk and the first bubble appears on the surface. Transfer the curd immediately to a bowl, cover its surface with plastic wrap, and let the curd cool. Chill the curd, covered with the plastic wrap, for 1 hour, or until it is cold. Whisk the yogurt into the curd, chill the lemon cream, and serve it with berries or as a filling for frozen lemon cream meringue cake. Makes about 3 cups.