PINK MERINGUE CUPCAKES WITH RASPBERRY CURD

Pink Meringue Cupcakes with Raspberry Curd image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes 1 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 10

Vegetable oil cooking spray, for baking cups
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
Gel-paste food coloring in Tulip Red
2 cups creme fraiche
1 container (6 ounces) raspberries, halved if large
Raspberry Curd for Pink Meringue Cupcakes

Steps:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line every other cup of 2 nonstick 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups; coat with cooking spray. Whisk egg whites, vinegar, vanilla, and salt with a mixer on medium-high speed until frothy. Add 1 3/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, making sure the sugar dissolves. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in 6 drops food coloring.
Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a plain coupler (no tip), and pipe into prepared baking cups, about 2 inches above rims, finishing with a peak in the centers. 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.) Transfer cupcakes in baking cups to wire racks; let cool completely.
Beat creme fraiche and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a clean mixer bowl on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. 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.) Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons raspberry curd, a few raspberries, and 2 tablespoons creme fraiche mixture. Replace tops, and serve immediately.