French Meringue Cookies
Why I Love This Recipe
I made a batch of chocolate mousse this afternoon for a dinner party that I'm going to tomorrow evening. "What to do with 9 leftover egg whites?" I asked.
Immediately I thought to make french meringue cookies. We didn't learn how to make them in pastry class, but I did know enough at this point about what to do with some egg whites and some meringue. How adding a bit of sugar makes it extra fluffy, and how a bit of Grand Marnier never hurt anyone.
I looked up a recipe for the classic french cookie and adapted it as I went.The taste is amazing...yet so simple!
Ingredients You'll Need
9 egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups sugar
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (or other flavored liquor)
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Beat the egg whites on low speed with the vanilla, salt and cream of tartar so that it forms a strong base. Gradually increase speed, whip to soft peaks. Slowly add in the sugar, whip to stiff peaks.
Line your baking sheets with a silpat, preferably, or some parchment paper. Fill your pastry bag fitted with a small-to-medium-sized star tip and pipe cookies about 1 inch in diameter, leaving a little space in between and around each one.
Bake at 250 degrees F for 50 minutes to 1 hour (there will be a nice browning to the exterior). Let cool before removing from baking sheet.