Lemon Ginger Meringue Drops Food

CHAI MERINGUE DROPS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 225 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the tea leaves from the tea bag. If the leaves are large, finely grind in a spice grinder. Mix the tea with the cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a small bowl.
• Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Beat in the cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and tea-spice mixture.
• Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip. Pipe 1 1/4-inch mounds about 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the meringues are dry enough to peel off the parchment easily, about 2 hours. Turn off the oven; leave the meringues in the oven to finish drying, about 1 more hour. Let cool completely on the pans.

THE BEST LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp sand, about 10 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until you can still see large pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 3 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump the dough onto the plastic. Using the edges of the plastic, press the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. (Freeze up to 2 months.)
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing the dough into the edges and letting the excess dough drape over the sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim any excess dough with a paring knife and crimp the edges decoratively or press them down with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough on the bottom all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and lightly golden in the center, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let the crust cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. Place the sugar mixture over medium heat and cook, continuing to gently whisk, until the mixture begins to bubble and is extremely thick. Temper the eggs yolks by slowly adding half of the hot sugar mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan and return to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until completely melted and incorporated. Pour the filling directly into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the filling (see Cook's Note). Refrigerate while you make the meringue.
• For the meringue: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk together to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to make sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the crust all around the edges. (This will seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the pie until the filling is completely cool and set, about 4 hours.

REFRESHING LEMON-GINGER DRESSING

Steps:

• Blend olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, ginger, and salt together in a high-powered blender until smooth.

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.

LEMON MERINGUE NAPOLEON WITH GINGER CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw two 4-by-13-inch rectangles about 2 inches apart on the parchment, then flip it over so it is marked-side down.
• Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff shiny peaks form, about 6 minutes. Gently fold in the confectioners' sugar with a rubber spatula (do not overmix).
• Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch round tip. Using the rectangles as a guide, pipe 4-inch-long lines of meringue side by side in each rectangle. (The lines should touch each other.) Transfer to the oven and bake, rotating the baking sheet occasionally, until the meringue is firm and crisp but not brown, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon curd: Combine the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan; cook over medium heat, whisking, until thickened, about 7 minutes. Whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time, until incorporated. Transfer the curd to a small bowl, then set in a larger bowl of ice; stir occasionally until the curd is completely cool, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the ginger cream: Combine the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, crystallized ginger and vanilla in a bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Assemble the napoleon: Place a meringue rectangle on a platter. Spoon the lemon curd on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with the ginger cream. Place the other meringue rectangle on top and gently press; refrigerate 1 hour. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

LEMON-GINGER MERINGUE DROPS

Steps:

• Allow egg whites to stand at room temp for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F Line two large cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper; set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine egg whites, vanilla, cream of tarter and ginger.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl).
• Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold in candy.
• Spoon mixture into a decorating bag fitted with a ½ inch round tip.
• Pipe into 1 ½ inch teardrop shapes, 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
• Bake both sheets on separate racks in preheated oven for 10 – 15 minutes.
• Turn off oven and let cookies dry in oven with door closed for 1 hour.
• Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely.
• To store: Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container.
• Store at room temp for up to 3 days.

LEMON MERINGUE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Line a 20cm round tin, preferably loose-based, with cling film, using more than one piece if necessary to cover the bottom and up the sides, and pop in the freezer.
• Roughly break up the meringues with your fingers into a bowl, aiming for nothing bigger than a golf ball.
• Put the cream and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until starting to stiffen. Stop when it looks floppy, like Greek yogurt.
• Grate over the lemon zest and sprinkle over the gin and meringue rubble. Use a large spoon or spatula to fold the cream up, over and round, until just combined.
• Stir the lemon curd so it's gloopy rather than firm; if it remains too thick, dilute with a tsp of gin. Dollop over the surface of the cream. Take your spoon and fold it in, turning the bowl as you do so - no more than a dozen folds, so the curd forms streaks. Spoon gently into the tin and freeze for at least four hours. Once firm, cover with cling film.
• About 10-20 mins before serving, remove the parfait from the freezer, invert onto a plate, peel away the cling film, and return right-side-up, at room temperature. Serve in wedges with lemon curd drizzled over and the fruit on the side.

GINGERED LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Stir flour, salt and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Add butter and shortening and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in enough ice water by teaspoonfuls until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
• Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold edge under and crimp. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake crust until golden and baked through, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
• Finely chop ginger with 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar in processor until moist paste forms, about 25 seconds. Combine lemon juice, water and ginger paste in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Let steep 1 hour at room temperature.
• Strain lemon mixture into bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids in strainer. Return liquid to saucepan. Add cornstarch; whisk until dissolved. Whisk in yolks. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl; cool. Cover and chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. keep chilled.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spoon filling into crust,smoothing top. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beat until stiff and glossy. Mix in vanilla. Spoon meringue over filling, spreading to edge of crust to seal. Bake pie until meringue is light golden, about 5 minutes. Let stand at least 5 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.