Sunday 24th, I was back in my kitchen baking and it was a lovely day.  Nothing beats working in a warm kitchen whilst watching the snow fall, turned out to be a beautiful day indeed......

I really stepped out my comfort zone on Sunday and made a Sponge Cake with Passion Fruit Curd Filling and Meringue, topped with Frosted Fruit.  Firstly I have never made any form of curd in my life and now having made Passion Fruit Curd, I am eager to try making Lemon Curd..... Also it was strange baking the sponge cake and then putting it back into the oven so the meringue could cook.  All in all, a day of learning and huge, huge success!!!   Please note that this is time consuming so you will be in and out the kitchen most of the day...... The most time consuming thing is making the curd, as you need to let it cool down and then refrigerate (you can make it the day before).

Ingredients:

Passion Fruit Curd
4 extra Large Eggs
180ml (3/4 cup) Castor Sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) Passion Fruit Palp (about 4 to 5 fruits)
60ml (1/4 cup) Water
10ml Finely Grated Lemon Rind
125g Butter chopped

Sponge Cake
2 x Sponge layer cakes of your choice, vanilla

Meringue
160ml Water
310ml (1 and 1/2 cups) Caster Sugar
4 extra Large Egg Whites

Fruit Decorations
A selection of fresh fruits (grapes, blueberries, white grapes, gooseberries) anything you want
1 extra Large Egg White, lighten beaten.
Caster Sugar for dusting.



Methods:

Passion Fruit Curd:
Combined the ingredients in medium heatproof bowl over simmering water and stir until mixture coats wooden spoon.  This can take up to half an hour, keep stirring as it thickens, you will notice the change in colour too.  Pour into separate bowl, cool and then refrigerate. 

Sponge Cakes:
Cut cakes in half horizontally so you have 4 halfs. 
On a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, place one layer of cake on the paper and spread one third of the curd, top with another layer of cake, spread with half the remaining curd, top with another cake layer and spread the remaining curd and top with fourth cake layer.

* Note - I only used 3 layers as my cake layers were quite thick.

Meringue:
Combined the water and 250ml (1 cup) Caster Sugar in small saucepan.  Stir over medium heat (do not boil) until sugar has dissolved.
Boil, uncovered, without stirring, until sugar reaches 116ºC on thermometer, or when a teaspoon of syrup, dropped into a cup of cold water forms a soft ball when rolled between fingers.
Remove from heat allowing the bubbles to subside.
Beat the egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form; add remaining sugar while still beating until sugar has dissolved. 
With mixer running, add hot syrup in thin stream; beat on high speed for approximately 10 minutes or until mixture is thick.  Allow to cool.  Spread meringue on top and sides of the cake.
Bake at 180ºC for approximately 5 minutes till nice and lightly brown.

Fruit Decorations:
Dip the fruit into the lightly beaten egg white and then dip into the caster sugar.  Place on plate lined with greaseproof paper and allow to dry for apporximately 1 hour or until the sugar is dry. (I placed mine in the fridge).

Arrange fruit on cake......and enjoy. 


This cake never touched sides at home or the office, I was afraid it might be sweet from the meringue but it wasn't and the sponge cake was so moist.  A weird feeling putting an already baked cake back into a hot oven but it does work.