Meringue Treasure Chest Food

MERINGUE TREASURE CHEST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace a 9-inch circle on parchment paper and turn over; set aside.
• Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until foamy. Add salt, vanilla powder, and lemon juice; beat to combine. With the mixer running, gradually add sugar; beat until stiff peaks form and sugar has dissolved. Using a rubber spatula, transfer egg whites to circle traced on parchment, mounding in the center.
• Transfer to oven and bake for 1 1/4 hours. Turn off oven heat and let meringue cool completely in oven.
• Place chocolate and 2 tablespoons water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat together heavy cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream.
• Remove meringue from oven and, using a serrated knife, cut in half horizontally and remove top portion; set aside. Mound whipped cream in the bottom half and top with remaining half. Serve immediately.

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.

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 SHELLS

Steps:

• Beat all ingredients together well. Then beat in slowly 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup at a time.
• Beat until mixture forms very stiff peaks.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• Divide meringue into 8 circles on waxed paper. Slightly hollow out centers and make a stand-up ridge around outside of meringue shells.
• Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.
• Let cool on pan.
• To serve, fill shells with vanilla ice cream and top with sweetened sliced strawberries.

ULTIMATE MERINGUE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 110C/ 100C fan/gas ¼.
• Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick liner or parchment paper (meringue can stick on greaseproof paper and foil).
• Tip 4 large egg whites into a large clean mixing bowl (not plastic). Beat them on medium speed with an electric hand whisk until the mixture resembles a fluffy cloud and stands up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted.
• Now turn the speed up and start to add 115g caster sugar, a dessertspoonful at a time. Continue beating for 3-4 seconds between each addition. It's important to add the sugar slowly at this stage as it helps prevent the meringue from weeping later. However, don't over-beat. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy.
• Sift one third of the 115g icing sugar over the mixture, then gently fold it in with a big metal spoon or rubber spatula. Continue to sift and fold in the remaining icing sugar a third at a time. Again, don't over-mix. The mixture should now look smooth and billowy.
• Scoop up a heaped dessertspoonful of the mixture. Using another dessertspoon, ease it on to the baking sheet to make an oval shape. Or just drop them in rough rounds, if you prefer.
• Bake for 1 ½-1 ¾ hours in a fan oven, 1 ¼ hours in a conventional or gas oven, until the meringues sound crisp when tapped underneath and are a pale coffee colour.
• Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack. (The meringues will now keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for a month.) Serve two meringues sandwiched together with a generous dollop of softly whipped double cream.

LIGHTEST EVER MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment and set up a piping bag with a medium-size star nozzle.
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until very stiff - the whites should stand in stiff, not floppy, peaks when the beaters are lifted out. Once you have reached this point, pour in roughly half the sugar and the vanilla extract and whisk again until the mixture becomes very thick, firm and shiny. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again until thick, firm and shiny. If you like meringues with soft, mallowy centres, just add 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp white wine vinegar to the mix along with the sugar.
• Carefully spoon the meringue into the piping bag. Push any air out of the top and tightly twist the end of the piping bag to seal. Gently squeeze until meringue is visible at the end of the nozzle, then begin piping onto your lined baking sheets. Pipe spiralling circles, about 6cm wide and 3 layers high - like you would ice a cupcake to make roughly 18. The meringues will spread slightly as they cook, so leave enough space between each one. Bake in the oven for 1 hr, turning the heat down to 120C/100C fan/gas ½ after 30 mins.
• Remove from the oven - they should peel easily away from the parchment - and cool on a wire rack. Can be made up to a week ahead and kept in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 3 months, between layers of parchment, in an airtight container.
• To make Cream & chocolate meringues for dessert, put 100g dark chocolate in a glass bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water. Carefully dip the base of each meringue in to coat, then place on their sides on a plate or tray to set. While the chocolate sets, whip 300ml double cream. Assemble the meringues in pairs and sandwich their chocolate bases together with a good spoonful of cream. Delicious served with ice cream, raspberry coulis or fresh berries.

TREASURE CHEST BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350 Grease and flour 15x10x1" jelly roll pan.
• Cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar.
• Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk, vanilla and eggs.
• Blend at medium speed until smooth.
• Stir in cherries, chocolate chips and nuts.
• Spread in pan.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.
• Icing: combine powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla.
• Spread on warm bars.
• Drizzle 1/2 square melted unsweetened chocolate over bars.
• Cool and cut.