Orange Chiffon Cake with Orange Filling and Meringue

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 tsp grated orange zest
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 5 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 2 Tbsp orange zest
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 6 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

1. For the orange filling, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan with a whisk. Mix in the orange zest, orange juice and lemon juice. Set the pan over medium heat and bring it to a boil, stirring often, then cook at a boil for about 1 minute, until the mixture looks a little thicker and turns translucent.
2. While that heats, whisk the egg yolks and egg in a bowl until they are thoroughly combined. As you whisk the eggs, drizzle in 1/4 cup of the hot orange juice mixture and stir until smooth.
3. Take the saucepan off the heat once the orange mixture has boiled as described above. Stirring the mixture in the pan the whole time, slowly add the egg mixture. Turn the burner down to medium-low heat, put the pan back on the burner, and cook while stirring constantly, whisking briskly so the eggs stay smooth, until the filling thickens nicely, about 4 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter until it melts in, then transfer the filling to a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. For the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans, using a light hand with the butter on the sides, and set them aside.
6. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with an electric hand mixer, add 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, baking powder and salt, then sift the cake flour into the bowl. Add the canola oil, egg yolks, keeping the whites in a separate mixing bowl, and orange juice. Beat on medium-high speed until the batter is smooth, about 3 – 4 minutes, a bit less if your paddle attachment has a scraper, stopping now and then to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the orange zest and vanilla extract.
7. In a large mixing bowl, beat the 5 reserved egg whites with 1/2 tsp cream of tartar using an electric hand mixer on moderately high speed until the peaks are stiff but not dry. If you have two stand mixer bowls, you can use the stand mixer with the whisk attachment instead.
8. Fold half of the beaten egg whites into the batter until they are only partly incorporated. Add the rest of the egg whites and fold just until the batter comes together, taking care not to overmix and knock out all that lovely air.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the heated oven for 17 – 19 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center of a cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks and let them cool completely before adding the meringue.
10. For the meringue, place 6 egg whites, with absolutely no egg yolk sneaking in, and the sugar in a very clean heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Cook the mixture, stirring the whole time, until a candy thermometer reads 160 degrees, about 3 – 5 minutes.
11. Lift the bowl off the saucepan, add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, and beat with an electric stand mixer on medium-high speed until the meringue forms stiff, shiny peaks, about 7 – 9 minutes, or a little longer if the air is humid.
12. To assemble the cake, cut off the tops of the cake layers so each one is level. Place 1 cake layer crumb side up and spoon on half of the chilled orange filling in a large mound, then spread it outward, leaving about a 1/2-inch border of bare cake so the filling has room to move when the layers are stacked. Add another cake layer, crumb side up, and spread with the remaining half of the orange filling, again leaving a 1/2-inch border. Set the final layer on top, crumb side down, and cover the whole cake with the meringue.
13. Use a culinary torch to toast the meringue until it is golden brown, watching closely and blowing out any tiny flame right away.