A while ago I discovered Kirstens blog and the most delicious orange cream pie. I promised myself that I would make it some day, but with Italian meringue instead of whipped cream.

Yesterday I was having family over for birthday dinner, and decided that that should be the day, where I should make this fabulous cake. As I choose to replace the whipped cream with meringue, which is much sweeter, I decided to add zest and juice of 1/2 lemon to the curd. I thought that it would make up for the sweetness in the meringue, and as expected it did 🙂

My guests loved it (even my dad who doesn’t normally eat cake) and I will definitely make it again! Thank you Kirsten for the inspiration 🙂

 

Ingredients (12 servings)

Crust

7 tbsp. butter

1 3/4 cup Digestive biscuits

2 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. water

 

Melt the butter in a sauce pan at medium-low heat. Set aside while preparing the rest of the crust.

Place the biscuits in a plastic bag together with flour, brown sugar and salt and crush it with a rolling pin. Combine the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and water and mix until a moist crumb forms.

Cover a 9 inch springform pan with baking paper. Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of the springform pan a fridge for 10-15 minutes or until the oven is warm.

Bake at 175F for 10 minutes or until golden. Let cool while making the orange curd.

 

Orange Curd

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 lemon, juice and zest

2 tbsp. orange zest

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

12 tbsp. butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

6 eggs

 

Begin by stirring together the sugar and orange- and lemon zest. Press with the back of the a spoon to release the oils from the zest.

Beat the orange sugar together with the butter, cornstarch and salt until fluffy (I use a stand mixer). Beat in the eggs one at a time until blended. Gradually stir in the freshly squeezed orange- and lemon juice. Stir until combined.

Transfer the mixture to a sauce pan and cook at medium-low heat until thickened. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.

Poor the thickened orange curd into the springform pan and cover with a piece of baking paper. Fridge for 4-5 hours before removing the cake from the form.

 

Italian Meringue

4 1/2 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. orange zest

 

Whisk the egg whites until it forms soft peaks. Set aside while cooking the sugar.

Place sugar and water in a sauce pan and cook until the temperature reaches 230F. Pour slowly into the egg whites while whisking. Whisk until mixture has room temperature. It takes about 10 minutes if you use a stand mixer at medium speed. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest and whisk for a few more seconds.

Remove the cake from the spring form pan and  cover it with the Italian meringue. Fridge until served.

Use a gas burner to burn the outside of the meringue just before serving.

Bon Appétit!

Ingredients (12 servings)

Crust

100 g butter

6.5 dl Digestive biscuits

2 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. water

 

Orange Curd

2.5 dl freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 lemon, juice and zest

2 tbsp. orange zest

3.6 dl granulated sugar

12 tbsp. butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

6 eggs

 

Italian Meringue

4 1/2 egg whites

2.5 dl granulated sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. orange zest