Cherry Meringue Bites Recipes

VERY CHERRY MERINGUE DESSERT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium-high until peaks start to form. Add sugar and beat until stiff and glossy.
• Pour into a well-greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 60 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the pan in the oven for 12 hours or overnight with the oven door closed.
• Beat cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and sugar together. Fold in whipped topping and marshmallows. Spread over the Meringue layer. Refrigerate for 3 hours or longer. Prepare the topping.
• Mix the cherry pie filling with frozen raspberries. Refrigerate until serving.
• Cut dessert into squares and top with the cherry mixture.
• Refrigerate leftovers.

CHERRY MERINGUE PUFFS

Steps:

• In medium bowl, place egg whites; set aside until room temperature, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper or foil; set aside.
• Heat oven to 300°F. Beat egg whites, vinegar and salt with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar and gelatin until stiff peaks form, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon half of the mixture into large decorating bag fitted with large star tip #824 (at least 1/2-inch opening). Pipe puffs about 1 inch wide and 1 inch high onto cookie sheets, about 1 inch apart. Repeat with remaining mixture.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until dry but not brown. Turn off oven; let stand in oven 15 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1 1/3 cups of the baking chips uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds, stirring after 35 seconds, until melted and smooth. Peel cookies from paper or foil; dip bottoms into melted chocolate, and place on waxed paper. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Place remaining baking chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on High 45 to 50 seconds, turning bag over after 25 seconds. Squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle over cooled puffs. Let stand until drizzle hardens, about 10 minutes.

CHERRY-LEMON MERINGUE MINI PIES

Steps:

• Make the cups: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside. Combine the meringue cookies and flour in a food processor; process until the mixture is in fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each of the prepared muffin cups. Using the back of a measuring tablespoon, press the mixture firmly into the bottoms and sides of the cups. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and immediately press each cup with the back of the tablespoon. Cool the cups in the pan on a rack. Make the filling: Combine the pudding mix and sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the lemonade and egg yolks. Continue to whisk over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Spoon 2 tablespoons lemon filling into each cooled meringue cup. Top each with 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling. Chill for about 2 hours, or until the filling is set. If desired, top with whipped cream. Serve the mini pies chilled or at room temperature.
• Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

CHERRY MERINGUE BITES

Steps:

• Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit 2 baking sheets. Using a 1-inch cookie cutter, draw 25 circles on each piece of parchment. Turn the paper over, and place on sheets. Set aside.
• Combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer, and whip. Start on low speed, and gradually increase the speed to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Fit a pastry bag with a Wilton Number 16 star tip, and fill bag with the meringue. Cover one of the circles with an even layer of meringue. Pipe around the circumference, making a 1-inch-high cup. Repeat piping over the remaining circles. Transfer baking sheets to oven, and bake 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 175 degrees. and bake until the meringue has dried but is still white, 35 to 40 minutes more. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool.
• Fit a pastry bag with a plain round tip, and fill the bag with creme fraiche. Pipe 1 1/2 teaspoons creme fraiche into each of the meringue cups, and top with a cherry. Dust meringue bites with confectioners' sugar, and serve.

CHERRY-BERRIES MERINGUE TORTE

Steps:

• About 30 minutes before making the meringue shell, place an egg separator over a small bowl. Crack open each egg over the egg separator to separate the white from the yolk. (Save egg yolks for another recipe.)
• Place the egg whites in a clean medium bowl, and let stand at room temperature up to 30 minutes.*
• Heat the oven to 275°F. Line a cookie sheet with a piece of foil or cooking parchment paper.
• Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites; beat with an electric mixer on high speed until mixture looks foamy. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating about 5 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape mixture from side and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula, until mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks when beaters are lifted. (Do not underbeat because the meringue shell won't hold its shape.) On the cookie sheet, shape the meringue into a 9-inch round with the back of a spoon, building up about a 1-inch side.
• Bake 1 hour 30 minutes. Turn off oven; leave meringue in oven with door closed 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack 2 hours longer.
• Place a medium bowl and the beaters of electric mixer in refrigerator to chill. These will be used to beat the whipping cream, which beats better in a cold bowl.
• Place block of cream cheese on a plate, and let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes to soften slightly. Or to soften cream cheese in the microwave, remove foil wrapper and place in microwavable bowl; microwave on Medium (50%) 45 to 60 seconds.
• In a large bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and the vanilla until mixed; set aside.
• Pour the whipping cream into the chilled bowl. Insert the chilled beaters in the electric mixer. Beat on high speed until whipped cream forms soft peaks when beaters are lifted. Gently fold the whipped cream and marshmallows into the cream cheese mixture.
• Place the meringue on a serving plate, and spoon the filling onto the meringue. Cover; refrigerate at least 12 hours to blend the flavors but no longer than 24 hours.
• Rinse the strawberries with cool water, and dry on paper towels. Cut out the hull, or "cap," from each strawberry with the point of a paring knife. Cut the strawberries lengthwise into slices to measure 1 cup. In a medium bowl, stir together the pie filling, strawberries and lemon juice.
• To serve, spoon the berry mixture onto the filling. Or cut the meringue shell into serving pieces, and top each serving with the berry mixture.

CHERRY MERINGUE DESSERT

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add cream of tartar; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved., Spoon meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, form meringue into a 9-in. heart shape, building up edges slightly., Bake at 275° for 1-1/2 hours. Turn oven off and do not open door; leave meringue in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven; cool completely., In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in whipped cream until mixture is well blended. To serve, place heart on a serving platter; fill with cream cheese mixture and top with pie filling.

CHERRY TOMATO BITES

Steps:

• Cut off the top 1/4 of each tomato and a very small slice off of the bottoms, if needed, to sit upright. Scoop out pulp using a baby spoon or grapefruit spoon. Place tomatoes cut-side down on paper towels to drain.
• Combine salad dressing, bacon bits, green onions, Parmesan cheese, and parsley in a bowl. Spoon evenly into tomatoes. Cover and chill in a refrigerator until ready to serve.

CHERRY-PECAN MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
• Still beating, very gradually (1 tablespoon at a time) add sugar to egg whites. Continue to beat until sugar has dissolved and stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently fold in chopped dried cherries and chopped pecans.
• Drop meringue mixture by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake, switching baking sheets halfway through, until meringues are dry, about 2 hours. Cool completely on baking sheets. These can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.