Lemon Meringue Angel Food Cake

Place fresh, cold egg whites and cold water in the bowl of a heavyduty
mixer. Set aside until they are 60 degrees, or slightly below room
temperature. Pour flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and salt into a
triple sifter or sieve. Sift onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
Adjust rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set
nearby a dry, ungreased 10inch tube pan. Such a pan allows the batter
to cling to the sides and rise to its full height. Place a longnecked
bottle or large metal funnel nearby for inverting the baked cake.
Whip egg whites, preferably with a whisk attachment until frothy. Add
cream of tartar and whip on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Continue whipping and gradually add the 1 cup granulated sugar until
whites have thickened and form soft droopy white peaks. Add the
vanilla and lemon zest in the final moments of whipping. Sprinkle
onequarter of the flour mixture over the whites, and with a rubber
spatula, fold into the whites. Repeat this process with the remaining
flour mixture, folding in only onequarter of the flour mixture at a
time. Gently pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan. Bake for 45
to 50 minutes, or until the top is light golden, the cake feels
spongy and springs back when touched, and a wooden toothpick inserted
in the middle comes out free of cake. Invert cake onto the neck of a
bottle or funnel. Cool completely before removing from pan. To remove
cake from the pan, slip just the tip of a small metal spatula between
the cake and pan. Slowly trace the perimeter to release any cake
sticking to the pan. Tilt the cake pan on its side, and gently tap
the bottom against the counter to loosen the cake. Rotate the cake
pan, tapping as you turn it a few more times, until it appears free.
Cover the cake with a rack or cardboard round, and atthe same time
that you invert the cake onto the work surface, tap it firmly onto
the surface. Lift the pan from the cake. Yield: one 10inch round cake
For the filling: In a 1 1/2 quart heavybottomed saucepan, whisk
briefly to combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon
zest. Add the pieces of butter, and place the saucepan over medium
heat, stirring constantly over the entire bottom. Cook the mixture
without boiling until it begins to developbody and thicken. Remove
from heat and pour through a stainless steel sieve into a bowl. Cover
the surface with plastic wrap, poke a few small slits in the plastic
with the tip of a paring blade allowing steam to escape while
cooling. Refrigerate (curd will thicken). For the frosting: In a 3cup
saucepan, combine the water and 2/3 cup sugar. Place over low heat to
dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat to medium high and boil,
without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 235 degrees. (Wash
down any sugar crystals slinging to the sides of the pan with a brush
dipped in cold water.) Near the end of the boiling time, whip the egg
whites with the cream of tartaruntil soft peaks form. Add the 2
tablespoons sugar, and continue to whip until the whites are stiff
butnot dry. With the mixer running, pour the syrup onto the whipped
whites. Continue to whip onmedium speed, about 3 minutes more.
Mixture will thicken, cool and form glossy, stiff peaks. Addthe
vanilla. Cool to room temperature, about 8 to 10 minutes, then frost
cake right away. Assembling the dessert: Cut cake into three layers.
Spread the lemon filling equally between the two layers; top with
remaining layer. Frost top and sides of cake with Italian Meringue
Frosting.