Lemon Meringue Buttercream

Photo: flickr user kristin_a

Ingredients

5 lrg Egg yolks

1/2 cup Plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup Fresh lemon juice

1/2 stk unsalted butter, softened (1/4 cup)

2 cups Sugar ⅔ cup water

8 lrg Egg whites

3/4 tablespoon Cream of tartar

10 stk unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened to cool room temperature (5 cups)

1/2 teaspoon Salt

3 tablespoons Eau-de-vie-de-framboise, up to 4

Preparation

Make lemon curd:In a small heavy saucepan whisk together yolks and sugar and whisk in lemon juice, butter, and a pinch of salt. Cook mixture over moderately low heat, whisking, until it reaches boiling point, 5 to 7 minutes (do not let it boil). Strain curd through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, its surface covered with a plastic wrap. Chill curd, covered at least 4 hours or overnight.

Make buttercream:In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, undisturbed, until it reaches 248F on candy thermometer. While syrup is boiling, in a standing electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tarter. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and add hot syrup in a stream, beating. Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 15 to 20 minutes.

Buttercream may be made 4 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container or 2 weeks ahead and frozen in anairtight container. Let buttercream come completely to room temperature (this may take several hours if frozen) and beat before using.

Makes about 12 cups.