Chocolaty Meringue Stars Food

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop. Set aside.
• Make cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
• In a clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
• Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.

CHOCOLATE SWIRL MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk and whip until stiff peaks hold and meringue does not slide out when bowl is turned upside.. Gradually add in both sugars and then vanilla and vinegar. Increase speed and whip until mixture is free of sugar grit when rubbed between two fingers and the meringue holds stiff and glossy peaks.
• Drizzle chocolate on top of meringue (DO NOT MIX IN). Spoon out and drop mixture onto parchment lined bake sheet.
• Repeat step 2 until all the chocolate and meringue is used
• Bake meringue for about 40-50 minutes or meringue easily peels away from parchment paper. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Optional: Serve with some Nutella.

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 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.

CHOCOLATY MERINGUE STARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 275° F. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil or cooking parchment paper.
• In medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Fold in cocoa. (Batter will not be mixed completely; there will be some streaks of cocoa.)
• Place meringue in decorating bag fitted with large star tip (#4). Pipe 1 1/4-inch stars onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle lightly with walnuts; brush excess nuts from cookie sheet.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until outside is crisp and dry (meringues will be soft inside). Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Store in airtight container.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
• Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl using an electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Add sugar slowly, continuing to beat until meringue is smooth, shiny, and satiny, about 10 minutes. Let stand while coating 2 baking sheets with butter and flour.
• Add cocoa powder to egg white mixture slowly, 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Beat on medium power until very smooth and evenly colored.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until each cookie comes off the baking sheet cleanly, 1 to 2 hours.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE STARS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add vanilla; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gently fold in cocoa. , Insert a large open star tip into a pastry bag; fill half full with meringue. Pipe stars, about 1-1/4 in. in diameter, or drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. , Bake at 300° for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from paper; cool on wire racks., In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip cookies halfway into glaze; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE MONT BLANC CAKE

Steps:

• Grease 2 deep 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then set aside to cool a little.
• In a large bowl, whisk the whole eggs, yolks and sugars with an electric whisk until doubled in size - this will take about 5 mins. Sieve in the flour, cocoa and baking power with a pinch of salt. Fold the chestnut purée into the chocolate butter mixture, then add to the other bowl and gently fold everything together. Divide evenly between the tins.
• Working quickly, clean the whisks and your large bowl, put the egg whites in the bowl and whisk until stiff. Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking continuously, until thick and able to hold stiff peaks. Use a spoon to dot the meringue on top of the cake mixture in both tins, then use the back of the spoon to spread the mixture. Fill the gaps to touch the edges of the tins - make nice swirly dips and peaks as you spread. Bake for 1 hr 15 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with moist but set crumbs. Cool completely.
• When you're ready to serve, make the filling. Put the cream, chestnut purée and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk until softly whipped. Remove the cakes from their tins and place 1 on a cake stand or plate (save the one with the prettiest top for the final layer). Dollop on the cream and swirl out towards the edges (don't worry if you crush the meringue a bit). Place the next sponge on top, dust with icing sugar, then top with chocolate shavings, if using. Best served straight away, but will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE STARS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add sugar, about 2 Tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold in cocoa.
• Place in a pastry bag with a large open star tip.
• Line baking sheets with foil and coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• Pipe stars, about 1 1/4 in.
• diameter, onto foil, or drop by rounded teaspoons.
• Bake at 300 for 30-35 minutes or util lightly browned.
• Remove from foil; cool on wire racks.
• In a microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth.
• Dip the cookies halfway into glaze; place on waxed paper to harden.

MERINGUE STARS

Steps:

• Make vanilla and coffee meringues:
• Preheat oven to 200°F with racks in upper, middle, and lower thirds of oven (or use 2 racks and bake in batches). Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat 1 egg white with vanilla (for vanilla meringues) and a pinch each of cream of tartar and salt with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it just holds soft peaks. Add 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in 2 tablespoons superfine sugar gently but thoroughly.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with tip, then dab some meringue under corners of parchment on all baking sheets to secure to sheets. Pipe 1-inch-wide stars (1 inch high) about 1/2 inch apart.
• Make coffee meringues using same amounts and procedure as above but using espresso powder (1 1/2 teaspoons) in place of vanilla.
• Make chocolate meringues:
• Sift cocoa through a fine-mesh sieve and whisk together with 2 tablespoons superfine sugar.
• Beat remaining egg white with a pinch each of cream of tartar and salt with mixer at medium-high speed until it just holds soft peaks. Add remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in cocoa mixture gently but thoroughly.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag and pipe more stars.
• Bake meringues:
• Bake, switching position of upper and lower sheets halfway through baking, until dry, crisp, and firm, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Meringues are done when they release from parchment.)
• Turn off oven and cool meringues in oven with door propped open about 1/2 inch using handle of a wooden spoon 1 hour, then slide parchment with meringues onto racks to cool completely.
• Dip meringues in chocolate:
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
• Stir together chocolate and vegetable oil until completely smooth. Peel meringues off parchment, then dip bottom of each into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer meringues to lined baking sheet, arranging as close together as possible, and when baking sheet is full, freeze meringues just until chocolate is set, about 3 minutes. Remove meringues from freezer.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE MERINGUE POTS

Steps:

• Whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the meringue pieces. Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 30-45 secs or until melted, stirring halfway through. Spoon 2 tbsp cherry compote into each of 4 glasses, then top with the meringue mix. Drizzle melted chocolate on top of each glass and serve.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE STARS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add vanilla; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gently fold in cocoa.
• Insert a #8b large open star tip into a pastry bag; fill half full with meringue. Pipe stars, about 1-1/4 in. in diameter, or drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
• Bake at 300° for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from paper; cool on wire racks. In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip cookies halfway into glaze; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set.