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An elegant and delicious treat to enjoy for your choice of holiday themes: Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day!
As with many of my other creations, these meringues were developed out of the need to use up some ingredients I had on hand. I had four egg whites left over from another dish I made. And before I knew it – voila! – these Mint Chocolate Meringues were born.
These meringues are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Bring these to a Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day party, to work, or make them to share with your family and friends. Be prepared to wow the crowd with these gorgeous, delicate and decadent little jewels.
Don’t be intimidated by their upscale appearance, these meringue treats are not difficult to make. As usual, I’ve provided pictured instructions so you can see what everything is supposed to look like. Prep time is less than 10 minutes and other than dipping the meringues in chocolate at the end, the oven does the rest!
Crack the whites of 4 large eggs into a small bowl.
If you don’t have caster sugar (super fine sugar), place regular granulated sugar in a coffee or spice grinder and grind for a couple of minutes until fine.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached. Absolutely make sure the bowl is totally dry with no trace of grease. Even a smidgen of grease will keep the egg whites from stiffening.
Beat on medium speed just until foamy and add the cream of tartar. Cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites so that they will firm up nicely and retain their shape.
After adding the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form.
While still beating, gradually add the sugar in a steady stream.
Scrape down the sides to get all of the sugar incorporated. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. The mixture will develop a beautiful satiny appearance.
Add the natural green food coloring, vanilla extract and mint extract. Add however many drops you want until the desired shade is reached.
Beat just until the color is incorporated.
Use a rubber spatula or a large spoon to scoop out the meringue.
Spoon drops of meringue (about 2 inches in diameter) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, or a very lightly greased nonstick baking sheet. Bake the meringues in the oven preheated to 200F for 2 hours or until no longer sticky. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven to cool completely.
Remove the cooled meringues from the oven.
Place a double boiler over boiling water and add the chocolate (I ended up using 4 squares instead of three). Melt completely and keep the chocolate heated in the double boiler while you are dipping the meringues so that it doesn’t harden.
Dip the bottoms of the meringues in the chocolate and carefully lay them upside down on wax paper to dry and harden completely. Store the meringues in an airtight container and keep them in a dark place that doesn’t reach extreme temperatures. Will keep up to two weeks.
St. Paddy's Mint Chocolate Meringues
Mint-flavored meringues dipped in chocolate. The perfect treat for St. Patrick's Day or Christmas!
: The Daring Gourmet, www.daringgourmet.com
Cuisine: Sweets & Treats
Serves: 16 meringues
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup caster sugar (or granulated sugar ground in a coffee grinder)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- A few drops of natural green or red food coloring
- 3 ounces semisweet dark chocolate
- Crushed green candy canes (optional)
Instructions
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the wire whisk attached. Beat on medium speed until foamy, then add the cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium high and and beat until soft peaks appear. While continuing to beat, add the sugar gradually in a stream. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla extract, mint extract and green or red food coloring and beat just until combined.
- Preheat the oven to 200F.
- Drop spoonfuls of the egg mixture (2 inches in diameter) onto either a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or a very lightly greased nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours or until no longer sticky, then turn the oven off, leaving the baking sheet with the meringues in the oven to cool completely.
- For the dipping chocolate, place the chocolate squares in a double boiler over boiling water and melt completely. Dip the bottoms of the cooled meringues in the chocolate, shaking off the excess, and place the meringues upside down on some waxed paper to dry completely. Or dip the chocolate bottoms in crushed red or green candy canes before allowing them to cool.
- Store the meringues in an airtight container and keep in a dark place that doesn't reach extreme temperatures. Will keep up to two weeks.
FAQs
Use ultrafine Baker's Sugar for meringues and other baked goods – it dissolves faster than regular granulated sugar. Use ultrafine Baker's Sugar to help prevent “weeping” or sogginess. Meringues will weep if there's any undissolved sugar. Don't put granulated sugar in a food processor to achieve a finer grain.
Why do you put icing sugar in meringues? ›
Recipe Notes
If you want, you can add some crème of tartar (an acidic powder) to the meringue to stabilize the mixture. Add icing sugar instead of caster sugar as it dissolves quickly and it will make the process a little easier. Incorporate the sugar slowly as you beat it through the meringue.
Why do you put hot sugar in meringue? ›
The hot sugar also partially cooks the egg whites as you gradually add it in. This forms a strong bond and results in a smooth, shiny, stable mixture. Smooth, shiny and stable. Have you ever seen meringue mixture so perfect?
Do meringues harden when they cool? ›
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.
What is the trick to making meringue? ›
so what's the secret to making meringue?
- room temperature whites are KEY! While eggs are easiest to separate cold, the whites will beat up to their maximum potential at room temperature. ...
- beat the whites low and slow to start! ...
- cream of tartar is your meringue “MVP”! ...
- add your granulated sugar slowly too!
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.
Is it better to use granulated or powdered sugar for meringue? ›
It can be made with any sugar. One cup of superfine sugar or packed brown sugar is equal to 1 cup of granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar equals 1 cup granulated. Superfine sugar may dissolve more readily and produce a smoother glossier meringue, but volume will not be as great.
Can you use granulated sugar instead of caster sugar in meringues? ›
Any type of sugar can be used to make meringues. The most common are granulated sugar and castor sugar. Both give a traditional meringue, granulated sugar giving a slightly grainier texture as it dissolves more slowly, and may need a bit of extra beating to break up the grains.
What does a pinch of salt do to meringue? ›
A pinch of salt at the beginning will help break up the eggs and make beating them easier. Don't go higher than medium-high on a stand mixer—you'll get smaller and more stable bubbles in the foam if you don't go full throttle.
What must be avoided when making meringue? ›
7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meringue
- Adding Sugar Too Quickly.
- Skipping Cream of Tartar.
- Mixing in a Dirty Bowl.
- Using Cold Eggs.
- Overbeating the Egg Whites.
- Squeezing the Air Out.
- Baking at Too Low a Temperature.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.
Why is Italian meringue better? ›
The Italian meringue is the most stable type of meringue so it is sometimes favoured over using a French meringue, it is stable because the melted sugar cooks the egg whites, resulting in a soft, glossy finish. It is most often used for piping on top of pastries and desserts because it holds its shape so well.
What is the enemy of meringue? ›
Surprisingly, fat is the enemy of a good meringue. Think about it this way: Egg yolks are what you use when you want a dense, luscious dessert like mousse or chocolate pudding. Egg whites provide the lightest, airiest texture you can imagine.
Why is my meringue like marshmallows? ›
Make sure your oven isn't too hot
The aim of meringues is simply to dehydrate them, rather than to cook them. If your oven is too hot, the sugar with caramelise and your resulting meringue will be brown, soft, chewy and powdery.
What happens if you add sugar too early to meringue? ›
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.
Is caster sugar better than granulated sugar for meringue? ›
Any type of sugar can be used to make meringues. The most common are granulated sugar and castor sugar. Both give a traditional meringue, granulated sugar giving a slightly grainier texture as it dissolves more slowly, and may need a bit of extra beating to break up the grains.
How does sugar affect meringue? ›
The sugar acts as a stabilizer by binding with the water and giving a stable shape to the meringue. The addition of sugar is the critical point in the production of meringue, as it can reduce the foam formation in the beginning and has to be gradually added only after the foaming has begun [3].
Which sugar is best for meringues and some cakes because it dissolves more easily? ›
Caster sugar is often called for in recipes for delicate baked goods like meringues, souffles, and sponge cakes. Because of its ability to dissolve easily, caster sugar is also frequently used as a bar ingredient for sweetening drinks. Many bartenders use caster sugar in place of simple syrup when making co*cktails.
