NuM NuM

PB&J Cupcakes! That's right, your eyes are not deceiving you. I knew these were going to be awesome before I even put them in the oven. The cake batter was soooo delicious - some of it didn't make it into the liners - and the icing, ohhhh the icing (swoon) - it's like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup on CRACK! They taste pretty similar to the PB&J bars I made a while back, but I think they're even better because the frosting takes them over the top! This is a cupcake adults and kids of all ages will enjoy! What are you doing reading still? Run and make these!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
Recipe from I Heart Cuppy Cakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
For cupcakes
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, room temp (Private Selection Organic PB, Creamy)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Raspberry jam to fill cupcakes

To make cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin cupcs with paper cupcake liners
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Mix in egg. Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute or until batter smooth.
On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.
Fill each liner with a generous 1/4 cup of batter, to about 1/3 inch below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. There will be cracks on the top. Cool cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on wire rack. Once cooled - fill cupcakes with jelly either by cutting out a little cone shape and then filling with jam or inserting a piping tip and squirting jelly into the cupcake.


Peanut Butter Frosting
Recipe from Mommy's Kitchen

1 - 16oz box powdered sugar
1 - stick of butter, softened (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (Private Selection Organic PB, Creamy)
1 - tsp vanilla extract
milk (about 3 - 4 tablespoons)

Cream powdered sugar and butter together, add peanut butter. Mix well, add vanilla extract and enough milk to make it easy enough to spread. Beat mixture together until you have the consistency you want. Frost cupcakes when completely cooled.

*If you'd like to try another variation of this cupcake - instead of the PB frosting and jelly - try a chocolate glaze instead.

Recipe from I heart cuppy cakes:

For chocolate glaze
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

To make chocolate glaze
In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and butter over low heat until the cream is hot adn the butter has melted. The mixture should form tiny bubbles and measure about 175F on a thermometer; do not let it boil.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the milk chocolate and let it sit in the hot cream for 30 secs to soften. Add the vanilla and whisk the glaze until it is smooth and all the chocolate has melted. (Return the glaze to low heat if necessary to melt the chocolate completely, whisking constantly.) The glaze should be thick enough to hold its shape when spread over the cupcakes. If it is too liquid to spread, let it sit at room temp for 5-15 minutes, depending on the temp of your kitchen.

Using a small spatula, spread 1 tbsp of glaze over the top of each cupcake.

Warning: This could become your new favorite dip! If you enjoy all things spicy and cheesy, you will lovey this! This isn't the most figure friendly appetizer, but I did use reduced fat cream cheese to cut the fat a bit :D

Even though the ingredients list mayo, you can't taste it whatsoever. So if you have any guests who have an aversion towards mayo, do not tell them it's in there since they probably won't want to try it - which I've learned from experience. Serve this with thinly sliced crostini or tortilla scoops and you'll be the hit of the party.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos, drained*
1 (4 ounce) diced green chiles
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano

Directions:
1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a 2 qt baking dish (8x8 pan).
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.
3. Bake in a 375F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.

Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the dip and bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes. You want the top to get browned and the dip to be heated through and bubble gently on the edges. Do not over heat this dish or the mayonnaise with separate and you will have a grease puddle in your dip.

*I like my food spicy so I chopped 4 more small whole pickled jalapenos, sliced them thinly and added them to the dip. I would also forgo the panko and parm topping since I felt like it didn't add much to the dip.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker - recipe from Saveur Magazine

Makes 16 rolls

FOR THE DOUGH:
1 1⁄4-oz. package active dry yeast
1⁄2 tsp. plus 1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup milk, at room temperature
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 3⁄4 cups flour, sifted, plus
more for kneading
3⁄4 tsp. fine salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room
temperature, plus more for the pan

FOR THE FILLING:
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1⁄4 cup finely chopped pecans
1⁄4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. fine salt
1⁄8 tsp. ground cloves
2 tbsp. maple syrup
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE ICING:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1⁄4 cup milk

1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a hook, combine yeast, 1⁄2 tsp. of the sugar, and 1⁄4 cup water heated to 115°. Stir to combine and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add remaining sugar, milk, light brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and egg yolk. Beat on low speed until thoroughly combined, 1 minute. Turn mixer off and add the flour and salt. Mix on medium speed until the dough just comes together. Turn mixer speed to high and knead dough for 4 minutes. Add the butter and continue kneading until dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, about 6 minutes. Remove bowl from the mixer, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place. Let the dough rise for 1 1⁄2–2 hours, until it has doubled in size.

2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Combine the sugar, dark brown sugar, pecans, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a large bowl; stir to combine. Stir in the maple syrup. Set filling aside.

3. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a heavily floured surface. Gently knead the dough until it's no longer sticky, adding more flour as necessary, about 1 minute. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10" x 10" square. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese with a rubber spatula until it's smooth and spreadable. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the dough square; then fold square into thirds as you would fold a letter to fit it into an envelope. Take the open ends of the resulting rectangle and fold into thirds again, to make a smaller dough square. Invert the dough so that the seam is face down and, using the rolling pin, gently roll into a 10" x 20" rectangle.

4. Turn the dough so the long end is facing you. Brush the dough with the melted butter. Drizzle the reserved filling over the dough, leaving a 1" border at the edge farthest away from you. Lightly press the filling into the dough. Using your hands, lift up the bottom edge of the dough and roll it forward into a tight cylinder. Place dough cylinder, seam side down, on a cutting board and, using a thin, sharp knife, trim off the ends; cut cylinder crosswise into 16 equal-size slices. (I find it MUCH easier to cut the rolls with dental floss) Nestle the slices, cut sides up into a buttered 9" x 13" baking dish. Cover pan with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to let rise for 2 hours. (Alternatively, the rolls may be refrigerated overnight to rise in the fridge.)

5. Heat oven to 375°. Uncover the rolls. (If refrigerated, let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.) Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the rolls comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

6. Make the icing: While the rolls are baking, whisk together the sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth.

7. Transfer the pan of cinnamon rolls to a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes. Dip the tines of a fork into the icing and drizzle all over the rolls. Serve immediately.

Cranberry, White Chocolate, Oatmeal Cookie

Recipe from Nigella Lawson

Makes 40 1-1/2” cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, roughly chopped

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Measure out the flour, baking powder, salt and rolled oats into a bowl.

Put the butter and sugars into another bowl and beat together until creamy — this is obviously easier with an electric mixer of some kind, but you just need to put some muscle into otherwise — then beat in the egg and vanilla.

Beat in the flour, baking powder, salt and oat mixture and then fold in the cranberries, chopped pecans and chocolate chips.

Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into a ball with your hands, (I use a small cookie scoop) and then place them on a lined or greased baking sheet and squish the dough balls down with a fork. You may need two baking sheets or be prepared to make these in two batches.

Cook for 9-11 minutes; when ready, the cookies will be tinged a pale gold, but be too soft to lift immediately off the tray, so leave the tray on a cool surface and let them harden for about 5 minutes. (I like to make them extra crispy around the edges so I keep them in a bit longer until the bottoms are a golden brown then take them out of the oven and leave them on the tray for 5 minutes longer) Remove with a spatula or whatever to cool fully on a wire rack.

To celebrate my mom's birthday I made her these cute little cupcakes. I love eating my own individual dessert so I thought she'd enjoy these more then getting a regular birthday cake - uhh....apparently we were celebrating my birthday, not hers.

Swiss meringue buttercream and I have never gotten along and today was no different. That was until genius here took a closer look at the list of ingredients and realized it said 6 ounces of butter, not 6 tablespoons - moron! No wonder my frosting mixture was soupy. I made two different batches and tried to fix the freaking frosting for literally two hours until I eventually gave up. And yes, we're referring to it as the "freaking" frosting because after failing miserably - curse words were shouted and I was not a happy baker. The only way I was able to salvage the frosting and make it "semi" pipe-able was to add an entire box of confectioners sugar. Even then it still didn't hold its shape and it too must have become depressed and began to melt. Thank goodness the taste made up for its lackluster appearance because these were good! I mean real GOOD - like the I don't care if my ass gets big kinda good!

The cupcakes were refreshingly light and had the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The raspberry and lemon flavors added to the lightness and sent me to cupcake heaven. I enjoyed these so much I would deem them my new favorite cupcakes. I promise the taste will be like no other you've had before. Coconut milk, lemon, and lemon zest provide the base for the cupcakes and keep them moist, soft, and crumbly. The flavors are very complex but not intense and the taste is just phenomenal. Trust me - you must try these on for size. They make red velvets seem like last season's fad. Run, don't walk - or run but only after you make these - you can thank me later :)


Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Adapted from Love and Olive Oil
Makes 11 cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup full fat coconut milk (A Taste of Thai, Cocoonut Milk)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Frosting:
2 ounces (1/4 cup) of fresh raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
6 ounces unsalted butter (12 Tbs), at room temperature*
2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 large lemon)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350?F.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and brown sugar and mix. Whisk together oil, coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth it will still be a bit lumpy - I used the folding method. Fill cupcake liners with a scant 1/4 cup of batter (should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Since I was only able to get 11 cupcakes, I added water to the empty muffin tin. This may have helped add more moisture to the cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

To make frosting, first wash raspberries and toss them into a food processor. Puree berries and push them through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and set aside.

Add sugar and egg whites into a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Poke your finger into the mixture and rub fingers together. If the mixture does not feel grainy that means the sugar is melted. (I've read on another blog it's important to get the temperature of the sugar mixture to 140 degrees to create a stiff frosting - so I may try that next time) Remove the bowl from the heat. Wipe off condensation from bottom of bowl and then put mixture into stand mixer bowl.

Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until the mixture holds stiff peak and bowl is cool to the touch, about 8 minutes.

Switch to paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium low speed, beat in the butter, one tablespoons at a time. Making sure all butter has been incorporated before adding more. If the mixture separates after all butter has been added, beat on medium high speed for a few more minutes, the buttercream will become glossy and smooth again. Once the buttercream is thick and smooth, gradually beat in the lemon juice, vanilla and raspberry puree on low speed, until well incorporated and frost cupcakes. Or if you are frosting later put the frosting in the fridge.

When ready to use, bring the buttercream to room temperature and rewhisk it either by hand or a mixer to bring it to pipe-able consistency

*Butter should not be too soft. You should be able to make an indentation with your finger in the butter

**Since I did not read the directions properly, I only added 6 tbs of butter and then added a whole box of confectioners sugar to sweeten up the frosting and then about another tbs of lemon juice to balance out the flavors. I'm sure the frosting would actually set up and be pipe-able if you used all 12 tbs of butter. My frosting did not hold its shape very well but the taste was heavenly.

Happy Halloweenie!! I hope everyone's having a fun and festive night and filling your bellies with lots of sweet treats! I've been on a HUGE sweet tooth binge lately so no sweets for me today - shoveling Resse's Peanut Butter cups in your mouth waiting for trick-or-treaters doesn't count right?!



Anyway, I celebrated America's spookiest holiday with the ultimate American dish - meatloaf sammie. This was a wonderful savory treat to celebrate and one you should file under your "must make" file.

Hmmm...how can I best describe the essence of this dish? Just imagine a melt in your mouth tender juicy meatloaf, topped with sweet tangy slow roasted tomatoes, layered between ooey-gooey melted Fontina and Gruyere cheese. Yes...yes...yes!!!! Is your mouth watering yet? I can't specifically name what made this sammie outstanding, but perhaps it was the combination of the sharp nuttiness from the cheeses, or the sweet tangyness from the slow roasted tomatoes caramelized in the oven for hours on end, or maybe it was the crunchy bread against the soft meatloaf - but it was just the perfect combo of flavor, texture, and yummyness all in one bite. My only issue with the sandwich is I wish I had made more of it. It's a good thing no one was around 'cuz I was not about to share! In this case, sharing did not equal caring. Every man for themselves!! Too bad I had to save the leftovers for Lobster, sigh, the sacrifices I make as a wife.

If this sammie sounds appealing to you, give these a try:
Italian Meatball sub with Spicy Sausage and Mozzarella
Brie, Fig, and Arugula Turkey Burger a.k.a $50,000 Burger
Gruyere, Blue Cheese and Ham Sammie on a Cheddar, Chive, and Bacon Biscuit


The Ultimate Meatloaf Sammie
A NuM NuM original recipe
1 serving

1 Arnold Select Sandwich Thins Multi-Grain
Thick slice of Feta and Sun-dried tomato meatloaf, about 1-1/2"
A few slices of 1/8" thick Gruyere and Fontina cheese*
3-4 Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Pre-heat convection oven on roast at 375F. If you do not have a convection oven then just bake them in 375F oven.

Slice meatloaf in half horizontally. Layer slices of Fontina cheese on bottom half of bread. Place meatloaf on top. Top with enough slow roasted tomatoes to cover the entire meatloaf. (You can also add extra tomatoes on top of the Fontina cheese to give the sammie more of a sweet-tang - I may try that next time) Top meatloaf with Gruyere cheese and place top half on sandwich. Place sammie on a sheet pan and roast in oven for 15 minutes until cheese is melted, meatloaf is warmed through and bread is crunchy. ENJOY!

*I used Cave Aged Gruyere and Val D' Aosta Cow's Milk Fontina cheese

For Lobster's birthday I served this ice cream along with a Chocolate Almond Meringue Cake. Little did I know this combo would be a match made in heaven and one of the tastiest desserts of ALL TIME! The ice cream by itself is yummmmay, but with the addition of the sweet and salty caramel sauce and popcorn, time stands still for a moment and you're in utter bliss. Okay, maybe I'm being the tiniest bit dramatic - but seriously this ice cream is LEGIT and one you should run or roll and make. Get your happy dance on!

Popcorn Ice Cream

Adapted from Almost Bourdain

1 1/4 cup 2% milk
1 1/4 cup half-an-half

Pinch of salt

1 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup prepared buttered popcorn (kettle corn or Cracker Jack's would be a great substitution)
Salted butter caramel sauce (*recipe follows)

Method

1. Heat the milk, half-an-half, popcorn, salt and half of the sugar in a saucepan until it's just below the boiling point and starts to bubble. Remove and sit for 30 minutes until the popcorn has thoroughly infused its flavor into in the cream mixture.
   

2. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.
3. Whisk together the other half of the sugar, vanilla and egg in a bowl to a ribbon stage.
4. Still whisking, pour the cream mixture into the egg mixture and pour this back into the cleaned-out pan and cook till a velvety custard.
5. When it's thickened, pour into a bowl and let it cool
6. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
7. Serve with salted butter caramel sauce and popcorn.
   

Salted Butter Caramel Sauce Recipe
Adapted from David Lebovitz
Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup + 1 tbs half-and-half
1/2 tbsp salted butter
pinch fleur de sel or coarse sea salt (or to taste)

Method

1. Spread the sugar in an even layer in a large metal pan. Set over moderate heat and cook without stirring, until the sugar near the edge just starts to liquefy.
2. Using a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, begin gently stirring, encouraging the melted sugar around the edges toward the center and delicately stirring up any sugar melting on the bottom as well. The sugar will start to look pebbly as it cooks, but keep going; it will melt completely as it turns amber.
3. Continue to cook until the sugar turns deep brown and starts to smoke. (Don't worry about any large chunks of caramel.) The darker you can cook the sugar without burning it, the better the final sauce will taste. It's ready when it's the colour of a well-worn centime, or penny, and will smell a bit smoky.
4. Remove from heat and quickly stir in about a quarter of the cream. The mixture will bubble up furiously, so you may wish to wear an oven mitt over your stirring hand. Continued to whisk in the cream, stirring as you go to make sure it's smooth. Stir in the butter and salt. Serve warm. If you like your sauce a bit thinner or less rich, add 1 tbs water.

Storage: The sauce can be made up to one month in advance and kept refrigerated. Rewarm the caramel in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave.

I made this cake for Lobster's birthday and ohhhh my - this could be the "end all, be all" of all birthday cakes. This, eaten together with the popcorn ice cream I'll be posting about soon could be THE most quintissential dessert ever....EVERRRR!! I knew this was a hit when I took my first bite and a smile instantly gleamed across my face. I looked over at Lobster: he took his first bite, his eyes widened and his expression said it all. He said it's the best thing he ever ate - and he doesn't even really like sweets - well, until he met lil' ol' me...HAPPY BIRFDAY!!! :D I think these two desserts alone may have changed my life and hips forever!

If you are a chocolate lover, then this is the cake for you! The combination of textures and flavors of the cake, along with the sweet and salty ice cream is pure decadence!!! It is phenomenal!! (How many exclamation points can one use to voice their utter excitement?!) The cake is a mixture of a brownie and flourless chocolate cake - chewy on the outside and a bit molten-esque in the middle, topped with a crunchy meringue topping filled with even more chocolate and roasted salted almonds. The ice cream was the perfect pairing since the nuttyness of the popcorn echoed the smokiness of the roasted almonds to form one harmonious blend of luscious flavors. This is a very rich dessert that warranted lots of mmms, nums and yums with each and every morsel!

Allow me to walk you through the progression of photos...

The masterpiece

The crispy crackly top

Close up of the fudgey goodness. Can you see the melty yummy center calling your name?!

The perfect combo = food coma ^_^

If you have a special ocassion coming up, you should definitely make this. It's totally fancy shmancy and truly restaurant quality. Go all out and serve it with popcorn ice cream and your friends will swoon with utter glee - but don't be surprised if you suddenly have an influx of new best friends. Bon appetit!

BTW, I liked the cake best fresh out of the oven. After it had been refrigerated, the texture changed completely and it became very fudgey, dense and SUPER rich. If you want to change it back to its original state, just microwave a piece for 10-15 seconds and VOILA...utter bliss!

Chocolate and Almond Meringue Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake (scale recipe 2/3 for a 7" mini cake - this converter might help - just multiply everything by .667).

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

For the cake:
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
6 large whole eggs, separated at room temp*
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the meringue:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (1 cup)
1 cup roasted salted almonds (about 4 ounces), roughly chopped
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 large egg whites at room temp*
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth at medium speed, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bottom and sides of your bowl if necessary. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla and salt. Beat until combined. Transfer to a clean bowl and wash your mixing bowl thoroughly. (This part of the recipe can be made ahead of time and left at room temperature for a few hours - I left mine out for about 3 1/2 hours)

In a clean mixer bowl fitted the whisk attachment, beat the 6 egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites and pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.

While cake base is baking, prepare the meringue. Combine the chopped chocolate, nuts and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites in a clean mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in almond mixture with as little strokes as possible.

After 25 minutes, remove cake from oven. Using a large offset spatula, quickly spread meringue mixture on top of cake using as little strokes as possible not to deflate the meringue, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving. The meringue will deflate as it sits - don't worry it's supposed to do that :)