Coconut Prune Meringues Food

COCONUT-PRUNE MERINGUES

Steps:

• 1. Mix butter, 1/4 c. sugar and the baking mix. Spread dough evenly in ungreased 8-inch square pan. Bake 15 minutes in 350^ oven or until light brown.
• 2. Blend cornstarch and 1/4 c. sugar in saucepan. Stir in prunes and orange juice. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Cool slightly. Spread over baked layer.
• 3. Beat egg white until foamy. Beat in 2 T. sugar, one at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Fold in coconut. Spread over prune mixture.
• 4. Bake 20-25 minutes or until coconut is light brown. Cool thoroughly and cut into bars,2x1-inch.

COCONUT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• In small bowl with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beating at high speed, gradually sprinkle in sugar, 2 Tablespoons at a time, beating until sugar is completely dissolved. (Whites should stand in stiff glossy peaks.) With rubber spatula, fold in coconut and extract until mixed.
• Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto large cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake 1 hour or until dry. Remove to rack to cool.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH MERINGUE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan or two 24-cup mini muffin pans with paper liners; lightly spray the liners with cooking spray. Soak the prunes in a bowl with 3/4 cup hot water until softened, about 10 minutes. Pour into a blender and puree until smooth.
• Whisk the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the prune puree, brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, vegetable oil and vanilla. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined (it's fine if there are a few lumps).
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes for standard-size cupcakes, or 12 to 14 minutes for minis. Transfer to a rack and let cool in the pan, 10 minutes, then remove from the pan to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Transfer the egg white mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Sift in the cocoa powder and add the vanilla and orange zest; beat to combine. Spread the frosting on the cupcakes.