Holiday Meringues - lessons learned

[Janet H]

I decided to make some holiday meringues tonight and have made these for years - a simple recipe. I usually chop up some peppermint candy and sprinkle to the tops for flavor and a little eye candy. Usually I have the cheap candy canes around but tonight I had some high end all natural hand made peppermint candy so I figured that would be better. WRONG!

The natural organic handmade candy was made of cane sugar and melted in the oven - they look like Santa sneezed on them. The cheap candy made with corn syrup held up well. Lesson learned - use the cheap stuff

 

[Janet H]

Recipe:

2 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla
4 drops almond extract
3/4 C granulated sugar

Cocoa powder for topping
Chopped CHEAP candy canes for topping

Whip egg whites with extracts, salt and cream of tarter to stiff peaks. Add sugar and mix to combine. Sprinkle on peppermint candies or cocoa powder (or both).

Bake on parchment at 300 degrees for about 30 mins until dry but not brown. Cool.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Those look yummy and not too far off my diet.

 

[medtran49]

I learned that lesson with bourbon balls. One year I decided using Maker's Mark would be a good idea. Not so much, you could barely taste the bourbon even though I used more than normal because of the person I was making them for. Back to Jim Beam or similar.

 

[Rascal]

Australia takes credit for a kiwi creation.......again.

Russ

 

[CakePoet]

Is the silky candy you used and not proper candy canes?
Because silky candy has much more air in them and therefore they melt.

 

[Janet H]

Is the silky candy you used and not proper candy canes?
Because silky candy has much more air in them and therefore they melt.

It was hard crunchy candy. Very little air.