Meringue cookies are light and airy, and they melt in your mouth. Their shell gets very crispy, and the inside stays soft and almost like a marshmallow. They are excellent on their own, but they can also be used in many other recipes, such as Eaton mess, or you can crush and sprinkle them over ice cream. They are incredibly easy to make, requiring mainly egg whites and caster sugar.
You can experiment with flavourings, from vanilla to peppermint, but just make sure you do not add too much. You can also add some cocoa powder to make them chocolate meringues. Or, if you wish, you can dip them in melted chocolate once they are baked and ready.
Ingredients
2 medium egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
120 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon powdered vanilla
½ teaspoon food colouring
Preparation
Before you start making the meringue, prepare a large baking sheet and a sheet of baking paper. Take a large bowl, preferably metal or glass bowl, and pour in room temperature egg whites. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, then continue mixing on medium, until soft peaks form. At this point, start adding the sugar, a little bit at a time, beating well after each addition. By adding the sugar gradually, in small additions, you ensure that the sugar dissolves in the egg whites and you don't end up with gritty meringue cookies.
Add the vanilla, and food colouring (if using), and blend it well, then transfer the meringue to a large pastry bag fitted with a large nozzle (Wilton 1M works well). Pipe cookies on the baking sheet and bake them in a preheated oven, at 100˚C (200˚F) for about 35-40 minutes, then turn off the oven and let it cool completely, with the baking sheet still in. It's best not to open the oven door, because that might cause the cookies to have little cracks. After about 3-4 hours, the baking sheet should be completely cool to the touch, and you can remove it from the oven. The cookies are best served on the day they are made. Yields 25 medium-sized meringue cookies.
