One of my classes left me with copious, like over 14, eggs whites. I didn’t have much time to deal with them. I wasn’t wanting to freeze them, although that’s a good thing to do if you ever find yourself needing egg whites in the future. My solution was to come up with a recipe that was a cross between a meringue cookie and a chewy centered Pavlova. The result was too many cookies to consume, so I gave half away and froze the rest.
Meringue is awesome for a quick sugar fix or perhaps to make a dessert called a “Fool”. Crunch them up and combine them with whipped cream and berries. These cookies are so pretty. Take them out to wow impromptu visitors or when you feel like a sugar fix. Why not give them a whirl…pun intended.
Meringue Cookies
½ cup egg whites (about 4 eggs) 1/8 tsp cream of tartar 1/8 tsp salt 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons corn starch 1/2 tsp vinegar 1 tsp vanilla almonds, sliced, optional parchment paper or silpat
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F
Line your baking tray with the non-stick baking paper or silpat
Whisk 1/8 tsp cream of tartar and 1/8 tsp salt into 1/2 cup room-temperature egg whites
With an electric mixer, beat until soft peak stage. Foamy but won’t hold a shape
Add 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp vanilla extract and continue whipping the egg white mixture until it is stiff, smooth and slightly shiny in appearance. This should take between 8 and 10 minutes.
Mound the egg white mixture carefully onto the paper or silpat using an ice cream scoop or two tablespoons.
Sprinkle cookies with a few sliced almonds, if using.
Bake the meringues for approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, rotating the baking sheet from front to back (about half way through) to ensure even baking. The meringues are done when they are pale in color and fairly crisp. (The meringues will release easily from the parchment paper.)
Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave the meringues in the oven to finish drying several hours or overnight. The meringues can be covered and stored at room temperature for several days.
Serve plain or with whipped cream and/or chocolate sauce, lemon curd, or any sauce you enjoy for dipping.