Meringue Bites Food

VANILLA MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F; line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar. Beat until the mixture is frothy and soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between each addition. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat for an additional 5 minutes. The egg whites should be glossy and stiff but not dry.
• Spoon the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 2-inch cookies onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between each cookie.
• Bake for 45 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the cookies in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

CHERRY MERINGUE BITES

Steps:

• Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit 2 baking sheets. Using a 1-inch cookie cutter, draw 25 circles on each piece of parchment. Turn the paper over, and place on sheets. Set aside.
• Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer, and whip. Start on low speed, and gradually increase the speed to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Fit a pastry bag with a Wilton Number 16 star tip, and fill bag with the meringue. Cover one of the circles with an even layer of meringue. Pipe around the circumference, making a 1-inch-high cup. Repeat piping over the remaining circles. Transfer baking sheets to oven, and bake 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 175 degrees. and bake until the meringue has dried but is still white, 35 to 40 minutes more. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool.
• Fit a pastry bag with a plain round tip, and fill the bag with creme fraiche. Pipe 1 1/2 teaspoons creme fraiche into each of the meringue cups, and top with a cherry. Dust meringue bites with confectioners' sugar, and serve.

ANGEL MERINGUE BITES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, whip egg whites until frothy. (you can use your electric mixer on high or a wire whisk).
• Add splenda, vanilla and salt.
• Mix on high speed until stiff peaks form (about 20 to 30 seconds, longer if using whisk).
• Spoon rounded tablespoons of egg whites onto prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from pan. Cool.
• To assemble meringues:.
• Just before serving, sandwich Angel Bites with filling of choice by spreading the filling on the bottom of one cookie and topping with another.

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.

CRISPY BAKED MERINGUES

Steps:

• Whip the egg whites and salt into peaks.
• Add the vanilla, and continue beating until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
• In a separate bowl, stir the cream of tartar into the regular sugar and whisk into the whites very gradually, a spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and the sugar has dissolved.
• Sift together the icing sugar and cornstarch. Sift over the meringue and gently fold until fully incorporated.
• Pipe or spoon the meringues onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Each meringue should be about the size of a bar of soap.
• Bake at 225ºF/110ºC until cream-coloured and crisp on top when tapped, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
• Remove from the oven. Cool on the trays. Store in an air-tight container.

LEMON MERINGUE BITES

Steps:

• Make lemon curd:
• Cut butter into pieces and in a heavy saucepan cook with zest, lemon juice, and sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture just comes to a simmer. In a bowl whisk together eggs and whisk in lemon mixture until combined well. Transfer lemon curd to pan and heat over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until it just begins to simmer. Pour lemon curd through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool slightly. Chill lemon curd, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours, or until cold, and up to 3 days.
• Fill tartlet shells in baking cups with lemon curd. Chill tartlets, covered, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Make meringue:
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, beating until meringue holds stiff peaks.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe meringue 2 inches high onto each tartlet, completely covering lemon curd.
• Bake tartlets in middle of oven 3 minutes, or until meringue tips are just browned, and cool in cups on racks. Chill tartlets in airtight containers at least 2 hours, or until cold, and up to 1 day. Keep tartlets chilled until ready to serve.