Meringue Kisses From Entertaining Food

MERINGUE KISSES

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Beat egg whites until foamy. Sprinkle with cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating until stiff peaks form, about 5-8 minutes. If desired, divide batter in half and fold in red and green food coloring. , Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 1-1/2-in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie and cover it with meringue, using a knife. , Bake at 275° for 30-35 minutes or until firm to the touch. Immediately remove to a wire rack to cool. If desired, sprinkle with cocoa. Store in an airtight container.

MERINGUE KISSES

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 round tip. Pipe about seventy 1-inch drops on the baking sheets, pulling the bag up to form a peak; leave 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.
• Combine the white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Dip the bottoms of the meringues into the white chocolate, then dip in red sanding sugar; let set on parchment.

MERINGUE KISSES FROM ENTERTAINING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• Beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla and continue beating. Add the sugar 1 teaspoon at a time, beating about 30 seconds between additions. When all the sugar has been added, beat an additional 6 minutes. Egg whites should be very stiff, glossy, and extremely smooth, but not dry.
• Spoon the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip and pipe out "kisses," leaving 1-inch spaces. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meringues are dry to the touch and can be lifted from the foil. Cool completely before storing in a cool dry place.

MERINGUE KISSES

Steps:

• Line two large baking sheets with baking parchment. In a small bowl, mix both sugars together. In another small bowl, mix the jam with enough food colouring to create a vibrant red colour.
• In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, using electric beaters or a tabletop mixer. Add about a third of the sugar, whipping for 1 min or so, until stiff and glossy. Gradually add the remaining sugar until you have a glossy meringue that holds stiff peaks.
• Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/ gas 1/2. Turn your pastry bag inside out and, using a spoon, paint three lines of coloured jam from the top to almost the end of the bag. Fill with the meringue mix and twist the end to close.
• Holding the bag vertically over the tray, apply enough pressure to create a base, then quickly draw the bag upwards to create little points. The jam will give the meringues a stripy pattern as they pass through the bag.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hr or until the meringues sound hollow when you lift one and tap the base - they should have a crunchy shell and not be too chewy. Leave to cool in the oven with the door closed, then store in a plastic food bag or airtight container until ready to use.

MERINGUE KISSES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F.
• Butter and flour a large baking sheet, knocking off excess flour.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks.
• Gradually add sugar, beating, and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks.
• Drop heaping teaspoons (not measuring spoons) of meringue about 1 inch apart onto baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 45 minutes.
• Turn oven off and leave meringues in oven 1 hour more.
• With a metal spatula transfer meringues to a rack to cool completely.
• Meringue kisses may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.
• Makes about 24 meringue kisses.

MERINGUE KISSES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°F. and butter and flour a large baking sheet, knocking off excess flour.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites until they hold soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, beating, and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Drop heaping teaspoons (not measuring spoons) of meringue about 1 inch apart onto baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 45 minutes. Turn oven off and leave meringues in oven 1 hour more. With a metal spatula transfer meringues to a rack to cool completely. Meringue kisses may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.

MERINGUE KISSES II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (130 degrees C). Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat egg whites until very stiff and dry. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar slowly and continue beating until mixture holds its shape.
• Add flavoring extract. Fold in another 1/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup finely crushed nut brittle or other crushed candy.
• Drop or form into desired shapes on parchment covered cookie sheet. You can sprinkle lightly with either more crushed candy or powdered confectioner sugar, if desired. Place in oven for 30-35 minutes until set and delicately brown.
• To remove baked kisses from paper if you have a problem, lay out a hot, wet towel and place paper with kisses on towel. Let stand about 1 minute and steam will loosen kisses. Slip them off the paper with a spatula.

NAN'S MERINGUE KISSES - EASY TO BE CREATIVE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250º degrees.
• Beat egg white & salt with mixer until frothy or fluffy. Add sugar very slowly while still using mixer.
• Beat until a stiff peak forms and sugar is dissolved.
• Fold in by hand vanilla.
• Spoon (teaspoonful) onto lightly greased cookie sheet.
• Bake 40-45 minutes.
• Let cool slightly before removing to cooling rack.
• Store in airtight container.
• You can add (1/4 cup per batch or desired amount) chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, mint chips, etc. Fold these in last.
• You can also substitute the vanilla with any flavor extract. I have used cherry extract with chocolate chips. These were excellent.
• You can also add a couple drops of food coloring to the desired flavor of the kiss. If you use a drop of yellow with a drop of red to get an orange color you can use chocolate chips to have a Halloween kiss.
• I don't suggest using wet ingredients such as maraschino cherries, pineapple, etc.