Meringue Snowwomen Food

SPARKLY MERINGUE SNOWMEN

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 200°. Add cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold in extract., Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a #12 round tip. Transfer meringue to bag. Pipe snowmen about 4 in. tall, 2 in. apart, onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Decorate with black nonpareils and orange sprinkles. Bake until firm to the touch, 80-90 minutes., Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

MERINGUE SNOWMEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and salt, slowly adding 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Continue to whisk until mixture is stiff. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar.
• Transfer meringue to a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch round tip. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, pipe a 3-inch mound of meringue to form a snowman's body. To form the arms, pipe meringue on top of the body in the shape of sideways C (with the curve at the snowman's back). For the head, pipe a 1 1/2-inch mound of meringue on top of the center of the body, inside the curve of the arms. Repeat to form seven more snowmen. Sprinkle snowmen with pearl sugar.
• In a small bowl, combine remaining meringue and a few drops of red food coloring. Transfer to a parchment cone or a small pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip, and pipe a red nose onto each snowman.
• Bake snowmen until the outside is set but the inside is still soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool. When cool, pick up the snowmen one by one, and scoop out the insides of the body with a spoon; discard. Return hollow snowmen to oven, and bake until firm, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Watch the snowmen to be sure they remain white; once they are firm (or if they begin to color), remove them from the oven, and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, roll 7 ounces of almond paste to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a 3/4-inch-diameter cutter, cut out 8 circles for hats. With a toothpick, pick up each circle, and dip it into melted chocolate. Transfer circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Swirl them slightly as they hit the parchment, spreading the dripping chocolate around to form a brim for each hat. Repeat with remaining hats, and let cool completely. Reserve 1/4 cup of the melted chocolate for decorating.
• In a large bowl, make mousse filling by combining remaining chocolate and heavy cream. Transfer chocolate mousse to a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch round tip. Pick up the cooled snowmen, and fill the bodies with mousse. Carefully replace filled snowmen onto parchment.
• Add a few drops of red food coloring to remaining 4 ounces of almond paste; knead until completely combined. Roll to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into eight 8-by-1/2-inch strips to form scarves.
• Place scarves around snowmen's necks, and top heads with cooled hats. Transfer reserved chocolate to a small parchment cone or pastry bag fitted with a #1 tip; pipe eyes, mouths, and buttons on each snowman. Serve immediately.

MERINGUE SNOWMEN

Steps:

• Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 225 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a large pastry bag with a plain 1/3-inch diameter round pastry tip.
• Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is too warm to comfortably hold your finger in it for more than a couple of seconds, about 1 1/2 minutes. (The mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the whites should read 140 degrees F.) Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy, glossy and only slightly warm to the touch, about 4 minutes.
• Fill the prepared pastry bag with the meringue. On the lined baking sheet, pipe a 1 1/3-inch dollop for the snowman's base, then pipe a smaller mound on top and then another smaller mound on top of that to form the base, torso and head of the snowman, lifting the tip at the end to leave a peak of meringue on the head (this will be the snowman's hat). Pipe about forty snowmen in this manner, leaving at least 1 inch between them. Bake until the snowmen are dry enough to easily release from the parchment, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn off the oven and let the snowmen sit inside it for another 3 hours or overnight to dry completely.
• Fit a small pastry bag with a #1 or #2 plain pastry tip. Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until just melted. Dip the tips of the snowmen's heads in the chocolate to form chocolate "hats". Transfer the remaining chocolate to the pastry bag, and pipe faces and buttons on the snowmen.

MERINGUE SNOWMAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and salt, slowly adding 1/4 cup of granulated sugar.
• Whisk until stiff.
• Fold in remaining granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar.
• Transfer meringue to a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch round tip.
• On a parchment-lined baking sheet, pipe a 3-inch mound of meringue to form a snowman's body.
• Pipe meringue into a"c-shape" on top of body, forming arms.
• Pipe a 1 1/2-inch mound in center of arms to form a head.
• Repeat to form 7 more snowmen.
• Sprinkle snowmen with pearl sugar.
• In a small bowl, combine remaining meringue and a few drops of red food coloring.
• Transfer to a small parchment cone or a small pastry bag fitted with a#2 tip.
• Pipe a red nose onto each snowman.
• Bake snowmen until the outside is set yet the inside is still soft, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• When cool, remove the inside of each snowman with a spoon and discard.
• Return to oven and bake until firm, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Make sure the snowmen remain white and do not begin to color.
• Once firm, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, roll 7 ounces almond paste to a thickness of 1/2-inch.
• Using a 3/4-inch cutter, cut out 8 circles.
• Using a toothpick, dip each almond paste circle into melted chocolate.
• Transfer circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Swirl to form the border of hat.
• Repeat with remaining circles and let cool completely.
• Reserve 1/4 cup chocolate for decorating.
• In a large bowl, combine remaining chocolate and heavy cream.
• Transfer chocolate mousse to a large pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch round tip.
• Pipe mousse into cooled snowmen.
• Add a few drops of red food coloring to remaining 4 ounces almond paste.
• Knead until completely combined.
• Roll to 1/8-inch thick.
• Cut into 8 (8 by 1/2-inch) strips to form scarves.
• Place scarves around snowmen and top with cooled hats.
• Transfer reserved chocolate to a small parchment cone or pastry bag fitted with a#1 tip.
• Pipe eyes, mouths, and buttons on each snowman.
• Serve immediately.

SWISS MERINGUE

Steps:

• Fill medium saucepan one quarter full with water. Set the saucepan over medium heat, and bring water to a simmer.
• Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of electric mixer, and place over saucepan. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Test by rubbing between your fingers.
• Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use meringue immediately.