Strawberry Meringue Cake

To prepare the strawberry meringue cake, start with the meringue: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (alternatively, you can use hand mixers), pour the egg whites 1, half of the sugar 2, and the lemon juice 3.

Turn the mixer on medium speed, and when the meringue begins to be well whipped 4, add the remaining half of the sugar 5. Continue to whip until you get a thick, shiny, and frothy mixture 6.

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a plain nozzle and draw a circle with a diameter of 8 inches on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Create a meringue disk by forming concentric circles from the outside to the center 7, then do the same to make a second meringue disk. With the remaining mixture, pipe small meringues onto the baking sheet; you will use these for decoration 8. Bake in a preheated static oven at 194°F for at least 4 hours or until the meringue is dry and crispy 9. Once baked, turn off the oven and let the meringues cool inside.

In the meantime, prepare the custard: heat the milk in a saucepan with the addition of lemon zest 10. In a separate bowl, pour the egg yolks and sugar 11, then mix with a whisk. Once well combined, add the cornstarch and rice starch 12.

When the milk is about to boil, add it to the yolk mixture, straining it through a sieve 13. Mix well and pour everything back into the saucepan 14. Let the custard thicken over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with the whisk 15.

Once thickened, transfer the custard to a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap in contact with the surface, and let it cool first at room temperature and then in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours 16. After cooling, focus on the strawberries: trim and cut about 1 cup into wedges 17 and 1 cup into cubes 18.

Lastly, prepare the whipped cream: pour the cream and powdered sugar into a bowl 19, then whip with electric beaters 20 and transfer it to a piping bag with a plain nozzle 21.

You are ready to assemble the cake: place the first meringue disk on a serving plate 22, then decorate the edge with dollops of whipped cream 23. Take the custard from the fridge, soften it with a whisk, then fill the center using a piping bag 24.

Spread the cubed strawberries over the custard 25 and gently press with your hands to level them 26, then cover with the second meringue disk 27.

Decorate the edge with more dollops of whipped cream 28 and fill the center with custard 29. Now garnish the surface with strawberry wedges 30.

Add the small meringues 31 and finish with a few mint leaves 32. Place your strawberry meringue cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving and enjoying 33!