Mint Twist Meringues Food

MINT MERINGUES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, extract and food coloring if desired on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 6 minutes. Gently fold in chocolate chips. , Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 250° until firm to the touch, 40-45 minutes. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven for 1-1/2 hours. Remove to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

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.

MINT-KISSED MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°F. Grease 2 large cookie sheets with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. On high speed, add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved, meringue is glossy and very stiff peaks form. Beat in mint extract. With rubber spatula, fold in food color, 1 drop at a time, until well blended and desired color.
• Use disposable decorating bag or gallon-size food storage plastic bag with 1/2-inch hole cut in one bottom corner of bag (if desired, fit large star tip in decorating bag or in hole of plastic bag). Spoon meringue into bag; twist top of bag to seal. Squeeze bag to pipe meringue into 1-inch puffs onto cookie sheets. Sprinkle each with candy sprinkles.
• Bake on middle oven rack 2 hours. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheets; place on wire racks. Cool completely, about 5 minutes.

MINT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees.
• Grease 2 large cookie sheets, set aside.
• Combine egg whites, cream of tarter, and salt in medium bowl.
• Beat until foamy.
• Add sugar 1 tbls at a time, beating until egg whites are very stiff and glossy and sugar is disolved.
• beat in mint extract and food color.
• Fit a decorater bag with a large star tip.
• spoon meringue into bag.
• Pipe meringue in 1 inch puffs on prepared cookie sheets.
• Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.
• Place cookie sheets on center rack of preheated oven.
• Bake for 2 hours.
• Remove from cookie sheet immediately, cool completely on wire racks.