Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1½ cups (525g) store-bought lemon curd

For the lemon yoghurt cake:

¾ cup (180ml) light-flavoured extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
1 cup (280g) plain thick yoghurt
1¾ cups (385g) caster (superfine) sugar
2 cups (300g) self-raising (self-rising) flour

For the lemon and tonic syrup:

¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar
½ cup (125ml) tonic water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup (60ml) gin (optional)

For the whipped cream

600ml double (thick) cream
600ml pure cream
2 tablespoons pure icing (confectioner’s) sugar

For the Italian meringue

⅓ cup (80ml) water
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups (440g) caster (superfine) sugar
150ml egg white (about 4 eggs), at room temperature

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line a 20cm x 30cm slice tin with non-stick baking paper.

To make the lemon yoghurt cake, place the oil, eggs, lemon rind and juice, yoghurt and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Sift in the flour and whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cake into 5cm x 7cm rectangles and set aside.

To make the lemon and tonic syrup, place the sugar, tonic water and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cook for 2 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the gin, if desired. Set aside to cool.

To make the whipped cream, place both the creams and the icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Set aside.

To make the Italian meringue, place the water, cream of tartar and 1 cup (220g) of the sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes.

Place the egg whites in the clean bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. With the motor running, gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds before adding more. Gradually add the hot sugar syrup in a thin, steady stream and whisk for a further 4 minutes or until the meringue is thick, glossy and cooled.

To assemble, place the lemon yoghurt cake pieces in the base of a 4-litre-capacity glass dish and drizzle with the lemon and tonic syrup. Spoon over the whipped cream and top with the lemon curd. Dollop the Italian meringue on top and use a small kitchen blowtorch to lightly toast the meringue until golden brown. Serve immediately.

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