Ingredients

• melted butter
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar
• Filling
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• ½ cup sugar
• 50 grams butter
• 300 ml cream
• 2-3 oranges
• 100 grams black grapes

Method

1. Draw 2x 20cm circles on a large sheet of greaseproof paper, brush circles with melted butter. Separate eggs.
2. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Sift brown sugar, a little at a time (discarding any lumps) into the egg whites, whisking after each addition, until the sugar is absorbed.
3. Pipe or spoon the meringue mixture over the greaseproof paper circles. Bake at 120ºC for 2 hours, when the meringue will be dry.
4. Filling
5. In a microwave-proof bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon rind, sugar and butter (cut into small cubes), microwave on high for 1½ minutes. Beat egg yolks and whisk into hot lemon mixture, microwave on high for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Allow to cool.
6. Assembly
7. Whisk the cream until it stands in soft peaks, carefully fold into the cool lemon honey.
8. Use to sandwich the meringues together. Spread a thin layer of lemon cream over the top of the meringue.
9. Decorate with orange segments and black grapes.
10. With a large star nozzle, pipe swirls of lemon cream around the edge of the gateau.

Cooks Tips

- Assemble the gateau about 3 hours before serving, so the meringue will have softened by dinner time. If you don't have a piping bag, spoon the cream into small mounds around the top of the gateau.