Peppermint Meringue Kisses 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.

HOLIDAY PEPPERMINT MERINGUE KISSES

Steps:

• 1. In a bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff and glossy. Spoon meringue into a pastry bag or a resealable plastic bag. If using a plastic bag, cut a 1-in. hole in a corner. Squeeze 1-1/2-in. kisses of meringue onto ungreased foil-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle half with red crushed candy canes and half with green candy canes. Bake at 225° for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until dry but not brown. Cool; remove from foil. Store in an airtight container. Makes 3-3 1/2 dozen. *This last time I made them I added 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (beat into the stiffly beaten egg whites), 6 drops red food coloring to tint them pale pink (added after the sugar), and got 43 cookies! :D

SUPER EASY PEPPERMINT KISSES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form.
• Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff and glossy.
• Spoon meringue into a pastry bag or a resealable plastic bag. If using a plastic bag, cut a 1 inch hole in the corner.
• Squeeze 1-1/2 inch kisses of meringue onto ungreased foil-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
• Bake at 225F for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until dry but not brown. Cool; remove from foil. Store in an airtight container.

PEPPERMINT MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
• In bowl, egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt, beat to soft peaks.
• Gradually beat in sugar. Beat until mixture forms stiff shiny peaks.
• Reserve 2 tablespoons for crushed candy for sprinkling on top.
• Gently fold remaining candy into egg white mixture.
• Drop egg mixture by tablespoons onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
• Sprinkle tops of cookies with the reserved candy.
• Bake at 300 degrees until cookies just begin to brown and feel crisp when touched (they should be very light) about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool in pans on wire racks.

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.

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.