Monday, February 11, 2008

Pink Meringues


I just realised I could eat the entire batch of these cute little meringues and no one would ever know (Danny's napping, Papa's at work). It's tempting.

The recipe I was working was terrible (even as I read it I kept thinking, "Gee that sounds wrong"). I tossed the first batch and started over (I had quite a few egg whites in the fridge that needed to be used) following my baker's gut sense. Subsequent batches were much better.

You Will Need:

2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
A few drops of red food colouring
¾ cup caster sugar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone pads. If you must butter the sheets, do so lightly.

Beat together the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form. Add the food colouring and continue beating, very slowly adding the caster sugar (really, go very slow). When egg whites are very stiff, stir in the vanilla as gently as possible.

Drop by teaspoonful on baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Baking time will vary depending on size. Begin checking after 25 minutes, but they can take as long as 45 minutes. The cookies should just begin to brown on the bottom, but not on the top. You don't want them bone-dry as they should have a bit of chew.

Cool on racks.

Eat before the rest of the family knows you made meringues, or they'll want you to share.

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