There are several kinds of meringue. This is the one that’s crispy all the way through.
For lots of shaping and flavoring options, please review the full blog posting by clicking here.
Ingredients
- 2 Egg Whites from large eggs
- 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar or a few drops of lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Berry or Castor Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla or other flavoring
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Preheat the oven according to the baking method (below) you intend to use.
- In a deep bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Use a balloon whisk, or an electric mixer.
- Add Cream of Tartar or lemon juice, and continue to beat until soft peaks form.
- Add sugar, 1 or 2 Tablespoons at a time, while continuing to beat.
- Beat in flavoring.
- Continue beating until sugar is dissolved. Check by rubbing a bit of the meringue between your fingers. There should be almost no grit. This may take up to 5 minutes.
- If the meringue is to be an element of a cookie, fold extra ingredients in at this point. Chopped toasted pecans and mini chocolate chips are commonly added ingredients.
- Baking Method Option 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the baking sheets in the oven, close the door and turn off the heat. Walk away for at least 2 hours, and as many as 12. Little kisses bake up faster than bigger nests. There should be very little browning, if any.
- Baking Method Option 2: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Bake the meringues for 2 to 3 hours (depending on their size), or until you can easily peel one off the parchment and they seem quite dry throughout. Turn off the heat, prop open the oven door, and leave the meringues to dry for a couple more hours.
- Meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for 6 months. Moisture will destroy their texture, so make sure containers are completely sealed.
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