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CHRISTMAS TREE MERINGUES
Add a touch of festive magic to your Christmas dessert table with these super cute and simple Christmas tree meringues, combine ... bright and airy with a sparkling glow!
Ingredients
- 4 Egg Whites, Medium
- 100 g Icing Sugar, or Powdered Sugar
- 100 g Caster Sugar, or Superfine Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1/4 tsp Peppermint Extract
- Green Food Colouring Gel
- Red, Green and White Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 90C/ 194F. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
- Place the egg whites in a large bowl and using a hand whisk, whisk until the egg white start to stiffen, about 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with the balloon whisk attachment.
- Continue whisking the egg whites, gradually adding the caster sugar and icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is combined into the egg whites.
- Add the cream of tartar, peppermint extract and the green food gel. Add more food gel until you get the colour you would like.
- Continue to whisk until the egg whites are glossy and form stiff peaks, about 4-5 minutes. When you rub a pinch of the mixture between your fingers, it should be smooth. If it still feels a little grainy, keep whisking.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle with the meringue mix, and then pipe the meringue in tall swirl shapes, resembling Christmas Trees, onto the baking parchment. Scatter any sprinkle decorations over the meringue swirls.
- Bake for 2 hours. If you can, allow the meringues to cool in the oven overnight, or alternatively cool them on a wire rack.
- Decorate with edible glitter, edible lustre spray or icing sugar and stars.
Notes
- Use a spotless mixing bowl – wipe your bowl out with a little lemon juice before adding the eggs, this will help make sure there’s no fat traces on it. Fat will cause the egg white protein to shorten, which means it won’t hold as well.
- Add a little cream of tartar, lemon juice or vinegar – the acid helps keep the meringue stable and give your meringues a crisp shell and soft centre.
- Use caster or superfine sugar – alternatively use a mixture of icing sugar and caster sugar. Regular granulated sugar is too coarse, but a finer sugar gives the meringue a nice light texture. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking for a few seconds between each addition.
- Keep on whisking – please bear with your meringue and whisk it until it’s thick and glossy. Wet soggy meringue foam will cause the meringue to collapse. You may think you’re over-whisk;ing but you’re not.
- Bake long and low – meringues are best when baked slowly, so set the oven to 90C/ 194F and let them bake for approximately 2 hour
