Chocolate Pecan Meringue Cookies Food

CHOCOLATE CHIP & PECAN MERINGUE BARS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, cream butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Press into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan., With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until brown sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until thick and glossy. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Spread over dough in pan., Bake on a lower oven rack until meringue is lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using a serrated knife, cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE PECAN SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Spread pecan halves on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until roasty and fragrant. Remove from the oven and cool. Transfer the pecans to a cutting board and give them a rough chop. Allow chopped pecans to cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, half of the sugar (1/4 cup), and vanilla until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and add the flour, cocoa powder and salt mixture. Mix on low until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the pecans and the sprinkles and mix until just combined.
• Line a work surface with a large piece of parchment paper. Scrape the dough out onto the parchment paper and gather it together with your hands. Roll into a 6 1/2-inch-long log that is about 2 inches wide. Tightly wrap the dough in parchment paper, twisting the ends so it's airtight. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, for 2 hours or overnight.
• Set an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Spread the remaining granulated sugar on a plate and roll the log in the sugar to coat completely.
• Slice the log into eighteen 1/4-inch discs and place them on the baking sheet evenly spaced apart. Bake in the center of the oven until the cookies are no longer shiny and slightly puffed; begin checking for doneness at 16 minutes. Let cool on the pans.
• Using a 1/2-ounce scoop or a spoon, dollop about 1 tablespoon of the filling on the bottom of 12 of the cooled cookies. Sandwich with another half and smush lightly. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container on the counter until you eat them all.
• Cream together butter and caramel until smooth. Add powdered sugar and salt and whip until combined and light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.

CHOCOLATE PECAN MERINGUE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Draw two 8-inch circles on a sheet of parchment paper and place it on a sheet pan, pencil side down.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed for one minute, until frothy. With the mixer on high, slowly add the 2/3 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and beat on high for 2 minutes, until it makes firm, glossy peaks.
• Divide the meringue between the two circles and spread into two flat 8-inch disks with a rubber spatula. Bake the meringues for one hour, turn the heat off, and leave the meringues in the oven for 2 hours. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature on the sheet pan.
• With a large flat spatula, carefully transfer one disk, rounded side up, to a totally flat serving plate. (It's okay if the top cracks a little.) Spread the chocolate pecan filling evenly on top. Place the second meringue, rounded side up, on top.
• Combine the heavy cream, the 2 tablespoons sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until it forms firm peaks. Spread the whipped cream on top of the torte. Decorate with the shaved chocolate and refrigerate for 2 hours or for up to a day and serve cold.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the pecans until finely ground. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk the eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk the mixture almost constantly, until it is 130 to 140 degrees and thickened like custard. Set aside to cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
• Set another bowl over the pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Put the chocolate and espresso in the bowl and heat just until the chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in the Kahlua and vanilla and set aside to cool to room temperature. Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, then whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in the pecans. The filling can sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours.

CHOCOLATE PECAN MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a double boiler, melt chocolate bits over simmering water. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with a dash of salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well until stiff peaks are formed. Beat in vanilla and vinegar. Fold in melted chocolate and pecans. Drop onto greased cookie sheets, and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.

FRENCH MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust the oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 225°F Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, vanilla, and salt at high speed until very soft peaks start to form and the foam just starts to gain volume (peaks should slowly lose shape when whisk is removed) about 30-45 seconds.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the sugar mixture in a steady stream down the side of the mixer bowl. This process should take about 30 seconds.
• Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Turn the mixer back on to high speed and beat until glossy, stiff peaks have formed, about 30-45 seconds.
• Working quickly and carefully, put meringue mixture into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2" tip. Pipe the meringues into 1 1/4"-wide mounds about 1" high. Try to fit 6 rows of 4 meringues on each baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate pans front to back, top to bottom, and bake for 30 more minutes.
• Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool for at least 1 hour (or 2 if a humid or rainy day). Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before serving (about 10 minutes).

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla. Beat until the whites form soft peaks. Slowly add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, and mixture becomes glossy. Fold in cocoa and chocolate chips.
• Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar, vinegar and vanilla while whipping to stiff peaks. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are dry.

CHERRY-PECAN MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
• Still beating, very gradually (1 tablespoon at a time) add sugar to egg whites. Continue to beat until sugar has dissolved and stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently fold in chopped dried cherries and chopped pecans.
• Drop meringue mixture by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake, switching baking sheets halfway through, until meringues are dry, about 2 hours. Cool completely on baking sheets. These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

FUDGY MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl. Cook in 15-second intervals until chocolate softens; stir until melted and smooth. Cool chocolate to lukewarm, about 10 minutes. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch in small bowl to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat room-temperature egg whites, vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and cream of tartar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 cup sugar in 4 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Continue to beat until meringue is thick and glossy like marshmallow creme, about 2 minutes longer. Beat in cocoa mixture. Fold in melted chocolate, then 1/2 cup chips.
• Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Bake cookies 7 minutes. Reverse sheets and bake until dry-looking and cracked, about 6 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

FLOURLESS DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa, and salt. Stir in chocolate and pecans. Add egg whites and stir just until incorporated (do not overmix).
• Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 3 inches apart, onto 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until cookie tops are dry and crackled, about 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool completely. (To store, keep in an airtight container, up to 3 days.)

CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. Beat in cocoa. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts if desired., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert # 806 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with meringue. Pipe 1-1/2-in. hearts 2 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 300° for 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Grease the cookie sheets, and cover with parchment paper or wax paper.
• (I usually spray the paper with non-stick vegetable spray).
• Melt the chocolate chips over hot water in double boiler.
• If you prefer (and this is the way I prefer doing it), you can melt them in the microwave.
• Start by cooking for 20 seconds.
• Stir and return to the microwave for another 10 seconds.
• Stir again, and repeat the process until all the chips are melted.
• Beat the egg whites until foamy, and then begin gradually adding the sugar while continuing to beat.
• Beat until stiff.
• Then beat in the vanilla and vinegar.
• Gently fold in the chocolate and nuts, if desired.
• Drop the batter, a teaspoon at a time, onto the sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch.
• Remove immediately from sheets.
• Store in airtight container.
• NOTE: Try not to store these for too long.
• Although they will keep, they will dry out a bit and lose that gooeyness inside somewhat, which is what makes them so special.