Saturday, January 10, 2009

MERINGUE COOKIES

I LOVE being snowed in, here in our woods.  But today it doesn’t have quite the enjoyment as usual, because I had to tell 80 people that we would have to cancel their Jane-Austen-type ball.Hopefully we can reschedule.
Meanwhile, I’ve decided that one of the great joys of being gluten-free is my rediscovery of meringue cookies.  They are so easy to make, are low in calories, and are so very very good to eat.
 

I've tried a lot of recipes; this is the one that melts in my mouth and makes it hard to leave them alone!
BEST EVER MERINGUE COOKIES

4 egg whites
1 1/3 C. sugar--superfine (60 seconds in a food processor)
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 200.

2.On medium, beat egg whites well till foamy with uniform small bubbles.Add sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time.On high, beat till glossy with stiff peaks.

3.Fold in vanilla.

4.Drop by tsp. on oiled pans.  (this recipe takes 2 1/2 cookie sheets)

5. Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, at 200 degrees.  Then turn off oven and crack the door open.

6. Leave them for 8 hours to dry.

I went on a binge yesterday to find out all the various extras one can add to them (although we admit we love them just the way they are), and the possibilities thrill the soul!  Next week I’m going to make several kinds to take to a potluck dinner.

ADDITIONS
1 C. chocolate chips, mini or regular—fantastic!
toffee bits
crushed peppermint
almond flavoring: half tsp.
lemon flavoring: half tsp.
maple flavored extract: half tsp.
crushed candy
peppermint flavoring--real peppermint oil can make it fall, but you might be able to do it, half tsp. folding in at the end
sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top
sprinkle with colored sugar on top
a packet of flavored jello(3 and a half T.?)
lemon zest
finely chopped almonds or pecans or walnuts, cashews--1 C.
salted peanuts
food coloring
color them green and can top it with one chocolate chip
Melt three 1 oz. squares of semisweet chocolate with 1 T. shortening and dip each cookie in it halfway
2 T. cocoa powder
2 tsp. instant coffee granules
three-fourths tsp. cardamom
1/4 C. candied fruit
Put a chocolate kiss inside--press in and cover it up


Last night I made almond.




5 comments:

  1. Now, use your imagination...doesn't your chair in the first photo look like a lop-eared rabbit lazing in a sitting position? Well, except for the cookies, that is!

    ReplyDelete
  2. And it is so good !My wife makes this , too . And she prepares a "sauce" or rather a " cream " ( creme anglaise style ) . Then she put those bits of meringue on it . They are floating on the cream and this dessert is called " Ile flottante " ( floating Island ) . GOOD !
    Love
    Michel

    ReplyDelete
  3. @fauquet - Wow, Floating Island sounds very good indeed! Thank you for the idea.

    ReplyDelete