Merengue Food

MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer); beat on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium high; beat in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then add the extract or zest. Continue beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 6 minutes.
• For colored cookies, swirl a few drops of food coloring into the meringue or use a small paintbrush to paint 3 long stripes of food coloring up the inside of a pastry bag. For chocolate chip versions, gently fold the mini chocolate chips into the mixture.
• Drop or pipe the meringue as desired, about 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let the meringues stand in the oven until dry, about 2 hours. Top with or dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle with nonpareils.

MERINGUE

Steps:

• Completely melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Add the cream to a medium bowl and pour in the chocolate. Whisk the mixture very slowly creating a shiny, elastic emulsion.
• In a double boiler heat the egg white and sugar until all the graininess of the sugar has dissolved.
• Whip the mixture until cooled and thickened into a shiny meringue, about 4 to 7 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200 to 220 degrees F.
• Fill a pastry or resealable plastic bag with the meringue and pipe little stars or "kisses" onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until very dry, between 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. You do not want any color or "browning" on the kisses so keep the oven temperature low. Dip the kisses into the ganache and make ganache sandwiches. Set aside to dry for a few minutes. Serve immediately.
• Alternately, you can pipe the meringue into long lines and bake in the oven at 200 to 220 degrees F until nice and dry, about 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Then break into little sticks and use them as decorations on your favorite tartlets or cake.

CLASSIC MERINGUE

Steps:

• Combine egg whites and salt in mixing bowl of electric mixer. Beat at medium speed until opaque and loosely foamy. Increase speed to high and add sugar in a slow stream down side of mixer. Beat until stiff and shiny.

GOOD MERINGUE

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture forms stiff peaks.