Orange Pound Cake And Lemon Meringue Tart Recipe
We can’t deny a delectable dessert! In part two of this recipe series, Photographer, Food Stylist, and Recipe Developer Emma Duckworth is sharing more of her delicious recipes with us to wrap up the summer season. From a pretty pound cake to a tasty tart, she's got us covered for our next mouth-watering baking project.
Chocolate Orange Pound Cake
Makes: 10 servings
ingredients:
cake:
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
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½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-processed recommended
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1 tsp. baking powder
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½ tsp. salt
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1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
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1 cup granulated sugar
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½ cup brown sugar
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2 oranges, zested, plus more for decorating
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4 eggs
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3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
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2 tsp. vanilla extract
frosting:
- 1 ⅓ cups confectioners sugar, sifted
- ¾ cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened but not melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
directions:
cake:
- Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 355°F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving enough paper to hang over the sides forming a sling. This will make it easier to remove the loaf after baking.
- In a separate bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and orange zest into the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or use your handheld electric beater) and beat until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined between each addition. Then add the vanilla extract and orange juice and mix to combine. Ensure that you scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients into the mixture gradually and beat until just combined.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the edge before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract on medium-high until completely smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the sifted confectioners sugar. Then beat on high for 1 minute. If the frosting is too runny add more confectioners sugar, 2 heaping Tbsp. at a time.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the frosting over the cake and decorate with orange zest. Slice and serve.
Note: This cake can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before eating.
Lemon Meringue Tarts
Makes: 6 tarts
ingredients:
filling:
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6 egg yolks
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¼ cup granulated sugar
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2 Tbsp. lemon zest
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¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons for both zest and juice)
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2 tsp. cornstarch
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¼ cup heavy cream
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½ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
pastry:
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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⅔ cup confectioners sugar
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¼ tsp. salt
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1 cup unsalted butter, cold, chopped into small cubes
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1 egg and 1 egg yolk, beaten
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2 Tbsp. ice cold water
meringue:
- 2 large egg whites
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. water
- Lemon thyme
directions:
pastry:
- Sift the flour, confectioners sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter into the flour and rub the butter and flour together between your fingers until it resembles a bread crumb consistency.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and using a fork, mix the egg into the flour.
- Add 2 Tbsp. of ice cold water and use your hands to bring the dough together.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press the dough just a couple of times to gather all the crumbs into a ball. Then shape the dough into a disc lightly with your hands. Wrap the dough a couple of times with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes minimum.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Once chilled, let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and then on a lightly floured surface, cut the disc into 6 even pieces. Roll out each piece of dough until it’s the thickness of a coin when laying flat.
- Ensure the dough is rolled out large enough to cover the base, the sides, and enough for overhang of your 4 inch tartlet tin. Place the dough into the tart tin and with your fingers gently press the dough up the sides of the tin into all the grooves. Using a sharp knife, cut the excess dough from the tin. Repeat with the remaining dough and tart tins.
- Prick the pastry base all over with a fork and then line each tart base with wax paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans all the way up the sides.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the waxed paper and pie weights and return the pastry back to the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the 6 tarts from the oven and allow to cool fully.
filling:
- Combine egg yolks, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cornstarch, and heavy cream in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. The mixture should coat the back of the spoon and leave a clear path when you run your finger through it. This can take between 10-20 minutes. This is important; if the mixture does not thicken sufficiently at this point, it won’t set later.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and strain the mixture through a sieve. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, whisking until fully melted and combined. Don’t rush, as the extra whisking allows for a lighter, creamier curd. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, fill each tart shell with lemon curd. Allow to set in the refrigerator for an hour or so before piping with the meringue.
meringue:
- Put egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the sugar and water to a boil.
- Cook over high heat and when the sugar syrup reaches a temperature of 220°F begin to whip the egg whites on medium speed.
- Continue to cook the syrup until it reaches a temperature of 240°F and remove from heat. If you do not have a thermometer you can tell that the syrup has reached the correct temperature when big bubbles in the liquid become a bit smaller. However, a thermometer will provide a more accurate reading.
- Increase the whipping speed to high and pour in the syrup in a thin stream while whipping. Whip for about 10 minutes until you get a stable, glossy meringue.
- Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a ¾ inch round piping tip and decorate the tarts.
- Brown the meringue with a blowtorch and decorate with lemon thyme.
Note: There will be a little dough left over from the overhangs that will be trimmed. The tarts will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge covered in plastic wrap. Don’t keep the tarts out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Check out part one of this recipe series!
For more of Emma’s recipes, follow along on Instagram (@emmaduckworthbakes) or on emmaduckworthbakes.co.uk.
Want more insight? Check out this interview with our Founder and Editor-In-Chief Molly My, where she discusses starting a magazine from scratch and celebrating every day.
PHOTOGRAPHY, FOOD STYLING, AND RECIPE DEVELOPMENT BY:
Emma Duckworth
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