MERINGUE COOKIES ~ MERINGUE KISSES RECIPE

                                                                  
Meringues So Light, They Melt in Your Mouth!
Also known as Meringue Kisses, these delightful little puffs of air are so light, they literally melt in your mouth! Made with just 3 ingredients, it's hard to believe something so simple could be so pleasurable. If you've been keeping up with my baking escapades this week, you'll know why I had so many freakin' egg whites left over! I needed eight egg yolks for the Chocolate Bread Pudding I was making last Saturday. That left me with eight egg whites that I put in a container and hid in the fridge. When I say I hid them, the truth is I forgot about them. When I got around to organizing the fridge a few days later, I found the egg whites. And you know what they say? "When life throws you egg whites, make meringues!"
                                                                                 
Meringues, Meringues and More Meringues!
I love making meringues! They're just so....cute! And, one recipe makes so many featherweight puffs with such little effort! I whipped up a batch in no time and by the end of the night, half of them were gone. It's so easy to pop them in your mouth, one right after the other without thinking. Add different extracts and colors to make a rainbow of meringues. Sprinkle them with coarse colored sugar before baking. Add ground almonds and sprinkle some slivers on top. They're so much fun to eat and play with! Pretty soon, you'll be making meringue mushrooms!
                                                                      
Cookie, Candy or Confection?
Meringues aren't really cookies and not quite candy, but I do know they're very sweet! They would probably be classified as a confection of some sort. I have no idea what the nutritional value is, although they are cholesterol free! So, make a batch for Easter and enjoy!

Meringue Cookies ~ Meringue Candies~ Meringue Kisses, Whatever!

• 6 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 2-3 drops of extract ~ almond, vanilla, orange, peppermint, etc. (optional)
• 2-3 drops food coloring (optional)

Meringues are best when made with superfine sugar. Regular sugar is OK, but it might give the meringues a gritty feel. You can make superfine sugar yourself by pulsing regular white sugar in a food processor until extra fine.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Fit a pastry bag with a large star or round tip and set aside.
• Using a clean, dry mixing bowl, whip egg whites on medium speed until foamy in a Kitchen Aid mixer or a similar high-speed mixer.
• Add cream of tartar and whip until meringue starts to form soft peaks.
• Add sugar a little at a time. Continue to whip until meringue forms very stiff peaks that hold their shape.
• Add extract and coloring if desired and whip just until mixed.
• Transfer to the pastry bag.
• Get creative and pipe swirls and swans and mushrooms!
• Bake at 225 degrees for 60-70 minutes, or until meringues are light in color, crisp and dry.
• Turn oven off and let the meringues sit in the oven for another hour or more.
• Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
• Yields A LOT!

Comments

[cassie]

How are these cookies meant to be eaten? I had a friend make some years ago, but they were very crunchy (hard) and crumbly and made a big mess. Is that how they are supposed to turn out?

[Donna]

Make them bite-size, that way you can pop them right into your mouth without making a mess!
They're meant to be crispy and dry on the outside. But they're so light they melt in your mouth. Kind of like cotton candy. There's a whole pile of that stuff on the stick, but once in your mouth, it melts into nothingness!
Hope that helps!
Donna

[Shari]

The macaroons in the shape of a heart are adorable. I gotta try these someday!

[Donna]

Thanks Shari!
They really are as easy as I said! You're going to love them!
Happy Baking!
Donna

[Charmaine]

Easy Peasy! Will have to try these. One question though...it says at the end to bake...turn off the oven and leave in for another hour...what if you have a bunch more to make...can you just remove them from the oven and put in the next batch? Didn't know how necessary it was to keep them in the oven while it was cooling down.

Thanks!
Charmaine

[Donna]

Hi Charmaine!
Meringues need the extra time to dry out inside. I rushed them myself once, thinking that it didn't matter. It did. The insides were a little squidgy! Not soggy or runny, just not quite dry enough. I've seen some recipes that tell you to leave them in the oven overnight to dry out completely. I don't have to do that with this recipe. Mine are fine with just an extra 60-75 minutes.

It also depends on the weather that day. Is it dry or humid in your home? If it's humid, then you'll definitely need the extra time to dry them out.

If you have more to make, you could try increasing the oven temperature by 25 degrees to speed up the time. Unfortunately, the raw meringues would have probably fallen apart by the time you get them in the oven. This recipe is so quick and easy to make. Best whip up the second batch a little later.
Hope that helps!
Donna