Meringue Cookie Recipe (no cracks!!!)

When I started making meringue cookies, I probably searched over ten sites that would offer the friendliest recipe. After a few trials and errors, I learned very quickly how finicky they can get.

There are many websites that give you Italian meringue recipes and Swiss meringue recipes.

I found the best to be Italian meringue.

However there are details that need to be followed for complete success.

Here's my BIGGEST TIP:

WIPE everything and I mean everything you will be using for this recipe down with lemon juice or vinegar ( I use vinegar coz it's cheap and why waste a lemon for glasses, pots and utensils!).

I also stopped using real eggs. Instead I buy Pure egg whites (it has to be 100% egg whites) in a carton as I found myself collecting egg yolks and not using enough of them. Although I will say, using egg whites from an egg will give you more predictable results.

Another great tip for baking in case you don't already do it, is weigh your products when you can.

So here is the recipe below:

Utensils required:

• spatula

• stand mixer is best / or a high speed hand mixer and stainless steel bowl will do but will take longer

• medium sized pot

• cooking thermometer ( I recommend a digital one)

• piping bags

• 1M or any piping tips you prefer

• Gel food colouring

Italian Meringue Recipe with Carton Egg whites

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 5 hours

This is enough to make 3 cups of meringue, that's two trays or one mega large one!

Ingredients:

120ml (0.5 cup) water

300g ( 1.5 cups) of granulated sugar/caster sugar

120g (0.5 cup) egg whites / 4 lg egg whites

0.5 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla or other flavoring

Instructions:

1. Wipe all your utensils, pots, glasses with lemon juice or vinegar. This cuts the grease which will greatly affect the end result of your meringue.

2. In a cook pot, add the water and sugar and heat over medium heat. Keep stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Keep your eyes on the syrup as it will burn easily and come to a boil fairly quickly. Wait for it to boil as you continue to stir.

3. If you have everything close to you, add the egg whites to the mixer bowl in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment and start whipping the egg whites on high until they have foamed and formed soft peaks.

4. Add the cream of tartar and salt.

5. Once the syrup has come to a boil, and reached 116 degrees celsius or 240 degrees farenheit, turn your heat off and slowly drizzle the sugar syrup on the inside of the bowl of whipped egg whites. Please be careful not to drizzle the syrup right on the whisk as this may cause splatter that can burn you.

6. Keep mixing the syrup into the foamed egg whites. Add the vanilla and keep mixing until the bowl is cool to the touch.

7. You will know it's all done when the meringue forms very stiff peaks that do not collapse or fall.

8. Divide into other bowls if you plan on incorporating colour!

9. I use gel food colouring and add with a toothpick to control how light or dark you want it!

10. Once all coloured, place each one into piping bags and pipe away and have FUN!

When you have piped all your meringue onto the baking sheet trays (by the way, I use parchment paper between the baking tray and cookies), heat the oven to 175 degrees farenheit and cook for 5 hours. Yes that's right, 5 hours!!! Set a timer on your oven to automatically turn off after 5hours. I leave mine over night until they are cool the next morning. This cook time has given me the best results for non cracked meringue cookies.

Cooking time alternative: Bake at 195 degrees farenheit for 3hours

Although this is also a popular time for making meringue, I found them to sometimes have cracks. Again wait till cookies have cooled completely before handling them.

Storing cookies in a sealed tupperware can make them last for up to 2 weeks. Although in my house they don't last 2 days!

If you use my recipe, please let me know how they turned out!

---