Angel Food Cake With A Fresh Lemon Curd

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites on medium speed with the cream of tartar and the salt until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the flour and beat for 2 minutes, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Pour the batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan. Bake until golden brown and springy when touched, 30 to 35 minutes. (The top of the cake may crack a little.) Remove the pan from the oven and turn it upside down over the neck of a bottle. Let cool completely. Remove the cake from the pan slice horizontally into 3 layers. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spoon half of the curd over the cake. Lay the middle layer on top of the curd. Repeat with the remaining curd and top with the last layer of cake. Set aside. Ice the entire cake with the Boiled Icing. At this point you can eat as is, or lightly brown the boiled icing, carefully with a crème burl torch. Slice the cake into individual slices and place on serving plates. Spoon some of the berries over the cake.

FRESH LEMON CURD: Zest all of the lemons and set aside. Juice the zested lemons and strain the juice, you should get about 3/4 cups of juice. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the yolks until smooth, then whisk in the sugar until mixture is very thick, smooth, and pale yellow. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a nonreactive saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and pour into a glass bowl. Stir in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cool to room temperature.

Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

BOILED ICING: In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Bring the sugar to 240ºF. **If crystals appear on the side of the pan, take a damp pastry brush and brush the sides down. Meanwhile, combine the whites, salt and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with wire whip. Beat on low speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. In a steady stream, add the sugar syrup to the whites and continue whipping until the icing is spreadable. Whip in the vanilla.

Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

MARINATED BERRIES: Combine in a mixing bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in the mint.

Yield: about 2 cups