Meringue Madness
This article is for the dreamers, the indulgers of sweets and those who know that fitness does not mean denying oneself treats. Denial gets us nowhere when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, and your friendly local baker is here with some tips on how to satisfy your sweet tooth while feeling happy and energetic with what you eat.
Meringue is the simple combination of egg whites and sugar, whipped to stability and are the base of many phenomenal desserts and dessert components– but today we are focusing on the joys of lower sugar meringue cookies. Normally the ratio is roughly 1:2 egg whites to sugar, but we will adjust that and add in some extra flavor so you can enjoy your sweet treats without getting that too-much-sugar feeling in your stomach.
What you will need:
Scale
Stand mixer with bowl and whisk attachment
Small pot
Pastry bag and tip (optional!!)
Ingredients:
100 g egg white
100 g granulated sugar
Salt, pinch
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c chopped nuts or cacao nibs (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to ~180℉ (if your oven does not go that low, 200℉ is ok). Prepare two sheet trays with parchment paper.
Measure egg whites and sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer. Set a small pot with 1-2 inches of water to simmer, and set your bowl on top to form a double-boiler. Make sure the water is not touching the bottom of your bowl!
Using a whisk, constantly stir the egg white and sugar mixture until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is closer to the fluidity of syrup. You aren’t trying to fully cook it; if you touch it (with a CLEAN finger!) it should feel only slightly warm.
Remove bowl from the pot and affix it to the stand mixer with whisk attachment. Add salt and vanilla.
Start whisking on medium, and after 30 seconds increase to high. Whip egg whites to stiff peaks. This will take several minutes, but make sure you are watching! You are looking to be able to invert your whisk and the meringue to hold a sharp point, the tip only barely drooping. (Pro-tip! On the corners of your sheet tray, put small dollops of the meringue and press the parchment paper on top. This will glue your parchment paper down and prevent it from shifting while you pipe your cookies onto it.)
Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with the pastry tip of your choosing and begin piping out cookies approximately 1 inch in diameter. If you do not have a pastry bag, take 2 large spoons and use them to shape small domes onto your baking sheet.
At this point, feel free to add toppings of your choosing to the tops of the cookies! Cacao nibs, chopped nuts, or sprinkles make lovely additions to flavor and texture.
Bake your meringues for 60 minutes, rotating at the 30 minute mark. After 60 minutes, turn your oven off and leave the door shut. Allow cookies to cool for an hour inside the oven.
Enjoy! Keep your cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks!
Happy cooking!
by MacKenzie Patton-Donnelly