Friday, December 19, 2014

Easy Meringue Christmas Cookies

Are you in a panic because you don't have your Christmas cookies made. Need something super simple, but way impressive. Yes, I said way. Then you must make these meringues. What is a meringue? Think the top of your grandma's lemon meringue pie, but a little crispier on the outside and just a gooey on the inside.

What does this recipe require? A little time, because you have to let the egg whites come to room temperature. And these bad boys are in the oven for a long time like 2.5 hours. But think of all the fun things you can be doing in the time. Like I don't know shaking the presents under the tree to figure out what your family members bought you.



Now all the credit for this recipe goes to Make Bake Celebrate. You must go check out her blog, as she has the easiest, most creative sweets recipes. She had meringue ideas for about every season or holiday and tons of cupcake ideas. My meringues aren't quite as amazing as hers, but I would say still impressive. Just like yours will be - way impressive. Do you feel the theme here.

Ingredients

4 Egg Whites
1 1/3 cup sugar (if you can buy extra fine sugar, get that)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
green gel coloring (don't use regular food coloring. Also, in our Walmart this is buy the spices not the sprinkles and cookie decorating stuff)
parchment paper
pipping bag
fat round icing tip for the trees like this
big start tip for the white swirls like this

1. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees. Separate the eggs yolk from the egg whites, and place egg whites in an electric bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid mixer). Let these come to room temperature.
2. Beat eggs until white and foamy. Mix in 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of cream of tarter until soft peaks form.
3. Set time for 7 minutes. Slowly add in sugar a bit at a time taking the entire 7 minutes to do so. This is where finer sugar comes in handy because it dissolves better.
4. If you plan on doing multiple colors this is when you will separate the meringue into groups. Add green gel until you get the color desired. It doesn't take much color to get green.
5. Add the mixture to your piping bags.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. To make the trees hold your piping bag straight up and down. Squeeze the mixture onto the parchment paper until the base of your tree is big enough, then move your bag upwards and squeeze again until you have your second tier, and then a third. To make the swirls use the star tip and make a swirl (great direction there). Think of how they make ice cream corner as a reference.
8. Add you sprinkles or light star toppers.
9. The meringues don't expand like cookies so you can place them pretty close together. This recipe makes a lot so you will want to get a fair number on a cookie sheet.
10. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 2.5 hours.

I did some googling about whether or not you can freeze meringues and verdicts seems out. Some say yes, others were appalled by the idea. They will last about a week in an airtight container.



And they the cutest little, fat, sometimes crooked Christmas trees you ever did see. 

6 comments:

  1. Meringues are my favorite! Not sure I have the skill to do this, but man they look good!

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  2. These look amazing! And your description of how to pipe them was super easy to understand....I may just have to make these sometime next week! :)

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    1. Ok good! I wasn't sure if it just made sense to me or if other would be able to follow. If you make them show us your pictures.

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  3. How darling! :) And, I'm sure they taste as good as they look. :)

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  4. Way cute! :) No, seriously they are darling! Excellent job.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Myla! They were a big hit at Christmas.

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