Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to meringue? ›

Meringues are not supposed to harden completely in the oven. While low heat will dry them out, meringues do not become hard and crisp until they have had a chance to cool for five or ten minutes.

You can't overbeat meringue – It's true! You can't ruin it by mixing too much, so once all of the sugar is added, be sure that it is glossy and that you have super firm, stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the mixer. Don't be afraid to mix a little longer if it appears too soft.

Beating the Egg Whites for Too Long

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.

Whip for about 10 minutes, checking once the meringue looks thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and salt after about 7 minutes, while the mixer is on. To check it, remove the whisk and turn it upside down: does the meringue droop or hold its shape? Once it holds stiff it is done.

Cream of tartar stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites, by precluding the egg proteins from sticking together. It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake.

Place on the center rack to bake at 200 for about an hour then turn the oven off and keep closed for an additional 1-2 hours. The meringue cookies are done when they're are dried throughout. You'll be able to lift them off the baking sheet and they will feel very light and dry.

In the case of the meringues, adding the sugar at the start of mixing produced a cookie that was dull on the exterior, with a too-fine crumb within. The cookies made when the sugar was added at the very end had an overly airy texture (tasters compared it to Styrofoam) and a grainy consistency.

Why are my meringue cookies sticky after baking? ›

As it draws in moisture, the meringues become sticky and soft instead of dry and crisp. If they're not eaten immediately, before the humidity can get to them, it's basically a disaster.

To fix broken, overbeaten egg whites, you can add an additional white and whisk briefly, just to incorporate its moisture into the original group. But don't take it too far or you'll be back where you started.

Make sure that no egg yolk is in with the egg whites. Egg yolks are very high in fat and will hinder the whisking process. Cream of tartar is an acidic powder extracted during winemaking. It is used to stabilize egg white foams and increases their heat tolerance.

Fats, water, or dirt may compromise the meringue and prevent it from achieving the fluffy heights you desire. Avoid plastic bowls, which can retain traces of oil. Separate your eggs carefully. Enough yolk will also prevent the egg white proteins from binding together in the way you need.

Beat a mixture of thickened cornstarch and water into the egg whites to bind and stabilize the liquid in the meringue (and keep it from seeping out).

The cornflour and vinegar that is added strengthens the egg white and make it more stable and you get the marshmallowy centres from the shorter cooking time.