Meringue Cookies
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We grabbed recipes for two meringue cookies from a deeply delicious book of cookie recipes. One recipe is for almond meringues and the other is for brown sugar kisses (also a meringue cookie). This book of 365 cookie recipes covers all kinds of cookie types: bars, brownies, drop cookies, sandwich cookies, icebox cookies, and more.
Title: "Great Cookies You Can Bake" Author: Lois Hill Excerpt: |
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Meringues
The most delicate of cookies, meringues seem to be made of spun sugar and air, but actually they're made with heavily beaten egg whites and sugar and baked in a very slow oven. Anyone making a meringue should be aware of the critical stage to be reached in beating the egg whites - before which nothing must be added to the egg whites, except cream of tartar. Do not add any sugar or flavoring to the egg whites - either before or during beating - until they can hold extremely stiff peaks; otherwise the meringue will not stiffen properly. Note that the whites from jumbo eggs are recommended for all meringue recipes. If you must use the whites of small eggs, add an additional egg white or two to the recipe. Meringue batter should be refrigerated in between baking batches of cookies, otherwise it may separate.
No. 190
Almond Meringues
Makes about 24 meringues
2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
2 tablespoons apricot liqueur
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3/4 cup ground almonds
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Blanched almond halves
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two large baking sheets with butter or vegetable shortening.
In a small bowl, combine the liqueurs, orange zest, and ground almonds. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar. When the mixture forms stiff peaks, beat in the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Continue beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Beat in the almond extract. Gently fold in the almond mixture, a little at a time.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of meringue onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Place an almond half on top of each cookie. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are dry to the touch. Remove from the oven.
After the cookies have cooled for 2 to 3 minutes, but are still warm to the touch, use a spatula to transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
2 tablespoons apricot liqueur
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3/4 cup ground almonds
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Blanched almond halves
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two large baking sheets with butter or vegetable shortening.
In a small bowl, combine the liqueurs, orange zest, and ground almonds. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Beat in the cream of tartar. When the mixture forms stiff peaks, beat in the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Continue beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Beat in the almond extract. Gently fold in the almond mixture, a little at a time.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of meringue onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Place an almond half on top of each cookie. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are dry to the touch. Remove from the oven.
After the cookies have cooled for 2 to 3 minutes, but are still warm to the touch, use a spatula to transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
No. 191
Brown Sugar Kisses
Makes about 24 meringues
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups blanched filberts, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two large baking sheets with butter or vegetable shortening.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg white with the cream of tartar until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Gradually beat in the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Continue beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Add the vanilla extract and the salt. Mix well. Gently fold the chopped filberts into the mixture.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of meringue onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the kisses are puffy and have set. Remove from the oven. The tops will fall and crinkle up.
After the cookies have cooled for 2 to 3 minutes, but are still warm to the touch, use a spatula to transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- from "Great Cookies You Can Bake," by Lois Hill
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups blanched filberts, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease two large baking sheets with butter or vegetable shortening.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg white with the cream of tartar until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Gradually beat in the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. Continue beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Add the vanilla extract and the salt. Mix well. Gently fold the chopped filberts into the mixture.
Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of meringue onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the kisses are puffy and have set. Remove from the oven. The tops will fall and crinkle up.
After the cookies have cooled for 2 to 3 minutes, but are still warm to the touch, use a spatula to transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- from "Great Cookies You Can Bake," by Lois Hill