Chai Meringue Drops Food

MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer); beat on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium high; beat in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then add the extract or zest. Continue beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 6 minutes.
• For colored cookies, swirl a few drops of food coloring into the meringue or use a small paintbrush to paint 3 long stripes of food coloring up the inside of a pastry bag. For chocolate chip versions, gently fold the mini chocolate chips into the mixture.
• Drop or pipe the meringue as desired, about 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let the meringues stand in the oven until dry, about 2 hours. Top with or dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle with nonpareils.

SUPER GOOEY CHOCOLATE DROPS

Steps:

• Position racks in the lower and upper third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. (If you don't have 3 pans, simply cool the pan between batches.)
• Put the butter and the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)
• Stir the light brown and granulated sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.
• In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks and dried cherries, if using.
• Drop the batter in heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets--a small ice cream scoop is ideal for this. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve.
• Store cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.

FRUITCAKE BROWNIE DROPS

Steps:

• Combine the brandy, rum and dried fruit in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until hot, 1 to 2 minutes; let stand 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter, unsweetened chocolate and chocolate chips in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until smooth; let cool 10 minutes. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Mix the eggs, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir vigorously until incorporated. Stir in the soaked dried fruit and liquid. Cover and refrigerate until the dough is slightly firm, about 1 hour.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until slightly puffed and set on top, about 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
• The way you measure flour can make a big difference in your cookies: Spoon into measuring cups, then level with a knife. Do not pack.

SHERRY BUTTER NUT DROPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt. Mix the flour into the butter mixture, alternating with the sherry, making sure to finish with the flour. Stir in the ground pecans.
• Drop by the teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet and roll each portion between your palms to make smooth, even balls. Press each one into the cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg white. Using a fork, knife or another tool, press a design into the top of each cookie, or press a pecan half, right side up, into each ball or dough. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool a few minutes and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cool and let cookies sit overnight to ripen. Serve or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE DROPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Using an electric mixer, beat whites until frothy. Add confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, flour, coffee, and water. Beat on low until combined, turn mixer to high, and beat until marshmallow-topping thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold in pecans. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets; bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until tops crack.;

WHITE CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT DROPS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one-third of the white chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted. Set aside to cool slightly. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the melted white chocolate until smooth, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until combined. Beat in half of the remaining chopped white chocolate. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until the edges are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Make the glaze: Microwave the remaining chopped white chocolate (you can use the same bowl as before) in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted; stir in the heavy cream, and peppermint extract to taste. Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze and return to the rack. Sprinkle with the crushed candy cane and let set, about 1 hour.
• Photograph by Johnny Miller

MERINGUE DROPS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line baking sheets with parchment., Preheat oven to 200°. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and if desired food coloring to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert pastry tip. Fill bag with meringue. Pipe 2-in. circles or shapes 2 in. apart onto prepared baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with pearl sugar. , Bake 20-25 minutes or until set and dry. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven until oven has completely cooled. Store in an airtight container.

MERINGUE DROPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150° F, or the lowest setting possible. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat the egg white in a small bowl with a wire whisk until foamy. As you continue beating, add the sugar gradually, until the meringue holds stiff and glossy peaks when the whisk is lifted from them. Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the prepared baking sheet to form 3/4-inch rounds. (If you don't have a pastry bag, drop the beaten whites by the slightly rounded teaspoonful, keeping the little mounds as high as possible.) Bake until the meringues are completely dry and very light, about 2 1/2 hours. Cool completely.
• Pour the cream into a small, chilled bowl. Beat with a wire whisk or an electric mixer until the cream holds stiff peaks. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the whipped cream onto the flat side of one of the meringues. Press the flat side of a second meringue gently onto the cream to make a meringue sandwich. Repeat with the remaining meringues and cream. Chill the meringue drops on a serving plate in the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.