Ginger Cream Meringue Sandwiches Food

MERINGUE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large clean dry bowl with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until thick and opaque, about 1 more minute. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until stiff shiny peaks form, about 5 more minutes.
• Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large flat or star tip. Pipe about seventy 1-inch disks on the baking sheets, leaving space between each. Bake at 250 degrees F until dry and crisp, about 3 hours. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container in a dry place for up to 1 week. Just before serving, sandwich with seedless jam or lemon curd.

ULTIMATE MERINGUE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 110C/ 100C fan/gas ¼.
• Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick liner or parchment paper (meringue can stick on greaseproof paper and foil).
• Tip 4 large egg whites into a large clean mixing bowl (not plastic). Beat them on medium speed with an electric hand whisk until the mixture resembles a fluffy cloud and stands up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted.
• Now turn the speed up and start to add 115g caster sugar, a dessertspoonful at a time. Continue beating for 3-4 seconds between each addition. It's important to add the sugar slowly at this stage as it helps prevent the meringue from weeping later. However, don't over-beat. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy.
• Sift one third of the 115g icing sugar over the mixture, then gently fold it in with a big metal spoon or rubber spatula. Continue to sift and fold in the remaining icing sugar a third at a time. Again, don't over-mix. The mixture should now look smooth and billowy.
• Scoop up a heaped dessertspoonful of the mixture. Using another dessertspoon, ease it on to the baking sheet to make an oval shape. Or just drop them in rough rounds, if you prefer.
• Bake for 1 ½-1 ¾ hours in a fan oven, 1 ¼ hours in a conventional or gas oven, until the meringues sound crisp when tapped underneath and are a pale coffee colour.
• Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack. (The meringues will now keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for a month.) Serve two meringues sandwiched together with a generous dollop of softly whipped double cream.

LIGHTEST EVER MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment and set up a piping bag with a medium-size star nozzle.
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until very stiff - the whites should stand in stiff, not floppy, peaks when the beaters are lifted out. Once you have reached this point, pour in roughly half the sugar and the vanilla extract and whisk again until the mixture becomes very thick, firm and shiny. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again until thick, firm and shiny. If you like meringues with soft, mallowy centres, just add 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp white wine vinegar to the mix along with the sugar.
• Carefully spoon the meringue into the piping bag. Push any air out of the top and tightly twist the end of the piping bag to seal. Gently squeeze until meringue is visible at the end of the nozzle, then begin piping onto your lined baking sheets. Pipe spiralling circles, about 6cm wide and 3 layers high - like you would ice a cupcake to make roughly 18. The meringues will spread slightly as they cook, so leave enough space between each one. Bake in the oven for 1 hr, turning the heat down to 120C/100C fan/gas ½ after 30 mins.
• Remove from the oven - they should peel easily away from the parchment - and cool on a wire rack. Can be made up to a week ahead and kept in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 3 months, between layers of parchment, in an airtight container.
• To make Cream & chocolate meringues for dessert, put 100g dark chocolate in a glass bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water. Carefully dip the base of each meringue in to coat, then place on their sides on a plate or tray to set. While the chocolate sets, whip 300ml double cream. Assemble the meringues in pairs and sandwich their chocolate bases together with a good spoonful of cream. Delicious served with ice cream, raspberry coulis or fresh berries.

TRIPLE-GINGER CREAM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Make the cookies:
• Whisk ground ginger, fresh ginger, pepper, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and 2 cups flour in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Beat brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add egg yolks and molasses and beat until combined. Add dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed until well combined, about 3 minutes.
• Divide dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and flatten each into an 8"-diameter disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to an 1/8" thickness. Using 2" round cutter, cut out rounds, rerolling scraps once (you should have 36 rounds).
• Arrange rounds on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets at least 1/2" apart; sprinkle with cane sugar. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are puffed and edges are lightly golden, 8-10 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Make the filling and assemble the sandwiches:
• Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and candied ginger in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Just before serving, spread about 1 tsp. filling on flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, sugared sides up.
• Do ahead
• Unfilled cookies can be made up to 1 week ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature. Filling can be made 3 days ahead; chill in an airtight container. Let filling come to room temperature and fill cookies just before serving.