Meringue Torte With Peppermint Cream Food

PEPPERMINT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the peppermint.
• Fold the top of a pastry bag fitted with a round tip over and down a few inches. Dip a paintbrush in the food coloring. Starting inside the pastry tip, brush a stroke of food coloring from the tip to the top of the bag. Repeat with 3 more evenly spaced strokes. Fill the bag with the meringue; try to spoon it directly into the center so as not to smudge the food coloring (though some smudging is inevitable). Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds of meringue spaced 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Open the oven for a few minutes, then turn it off and shut the door. Leave the meringues in the oven until they are completely dry inside, about 2 hours. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

PEPPERMINT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil.
• In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks. Drop by spoonfuls 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the cookies.
• Bake for 1 1/2 hours in preheated oven. Meringues should be completely dry on the inside. Do not allow them to brown. Turn off oven. Keep oven door ajar, and let meringues sit in the oven until completely cool. Loosen from foil with metal spatula. Store loosely covered in cool dry place for up to 2 months.

PEPPERMINT MERINGUES

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Sprinkle with salt and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased foil or paper-lined baking sheets; sprinkle with the crushed candy. , Bake at 225° for 1-1/2 hours. Turn off heat; leave cookies in the oven with the door ajar until cool, for at least 1 hour. Store in an airtight container.

PEPPERMINT MERINGUES WITH CHOCOLATE FILLING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; secure corners with masking tape. Fit a pastry bag with a small open-star tip (such as Ateco #22). Set aside.
• Make meringues: Put egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and stir gently until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whiskattachment. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Mix in peppermint extract.
• Using a new small paintbrush, paint 2 or 3 stripes of red food coloring inside the pastry bag. Fill bag with 1 to 2 cups meringue. Pipe small (3/4-inch-high) star shapes onto prepared baking sheets. Refill bag as necessary, adding food coloring each time.
• Bake cookies until crisp but not brown, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
• Meanwhile, make ganache: Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until just simmering. Pour over chocolate in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth, about 5 minutes. Let ganache cool at room temperature, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until thick enough to hold its shape, about 45 minutes. (If ganache setsbefore using, reheat in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; repeat the cooling process.)
• Before serving or mailing, fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #5) with ganache. Pipe a small amount onto bottom of 1 meringue. Sandwich with another. Repeat with remaining ganache and meringues. Transfer to wire racks; let set 30 minutes.

MERINGUE TORTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Pour into 3 parchment-lined 9-in. round baking pans; set aside., In a large bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts. Spread meringue evenly over cake batter; sprinkle with remaining walnuts. , Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes (meringue will crack). Loosen edges of cakes from pans with a knife. Using 2 large spatulas, carefully remove 1 cake to a serving plate, meringue side up. Carefully remove remaining cakes, meringue side up, to wire racks. , In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Gradually add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Carefully spread half the filling over cake on serving plate; top with half the raspberries. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUES WITH ICE CREAM, PEPPERMINT CANDIES AND CHOCOLATE-MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• For meringues:
• Preheat oven to 225°. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using small bowl or can as guide, trace three 4-inch-diameter circles on parchment on each baking sheet; turn parchment over (circles will show through). Brush parchment with melted butter. Whisk powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until foamy and beginning to hold soft peaks. Slowly beat in 1/2 cup sugar; continue beating until whites are stiff and shiny. Fold in powdered sugar mixture, then chocolate. Spoon meringue by generous 1/2 cupfuls into center of each circle. Using back of spoon, spread meringue to edge of circle and indent center to form shallow bowl.
• Bake meringues until crisp, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Place baking sheets on racks; cool completely. (Meringues can be prepared 4 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• For sauce:
• Bring cream, water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low; add chocolate. Whisk until melted. Remove from heat; stir in extract. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm sauce over low heat before using.)
• Place 1 meringue in center of each plate. Top with scoops of ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate sauce. Sprinkle with chopped candies. Serve immediately.

PEPPERMINT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 175°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Beat in mint extract and salt. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spoon half of meringue into medium bowl; add red food color. Beat until well blended.
• In large decorating bag fitted with #827 star tip, place spoonfuls of white and red meringue side by side, alternating colors and working up from tip of bag. Do not mix colors together. Onto cookie sheets, pipe meringue into 1-inch mounds.
• Bake 3 hours or until meringues are dry to the touch. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven with door closed 1 hour. Finish cooling at room temperature, about 45 minutes. Remove meringues from parchment paper. Store tightly covered at room temperature.