Coffee Meringues Recipe Mary

COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment (make sure both are very clean and dry), beat egg whites on low at first and then gradually up to high speed until thick and soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add sugar in gradually (1 tablespoon at a time) and beat until batter is shiny and holds very stiff peaks and sugar is dissolved. You can test to see if the sugar is dissolved by taking a bit of the meringue between your fingers. It shouldn't be very gritty. Meringue should be so stiff that you can hold the bowl upside down and it won't drip. Fold in vanilla and espresso powder.
• Drop 1 ½ - inch dollops of mixture onto sheets 1-inch apart or pipe onto sheets using a piping bag or a pastry tip in a zip lock bag.
• Bake for about 1 ½ hours or until crisp, switching pan positions halfway through baking. Turn oven off and let meringues finish cooling in oven for a few hours or overnight. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• In a bowl, with an electric mixer (fitted with whisk attachment) on high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until thick and foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until mixture holds stiff, shiny peaks. Beat in vanilla and espresso powder.
• Spoon meringue in 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide mounds, about 1 inch apart, onto cooking parchment-lined or buttered and floured 12- by 15-inch baking sheets (see notes). Gently place one coffee bean on each mound.
• Bake in a 200° oven until meringues are light brown and give slightly when gently pressed, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours; switch pan positions halfway through baking. Turn off heat and leave meringues in closed oven for 1 hour.
• Slide a spatula under meringues to release.
• Note: Nutritional analysis is per meringue.

COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat oven to 250 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Place egg whites and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using electric beaters or an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add sugar a tablespoon at a time while beating continuously on medium-high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks , about 10 to 12 minutes.
• With a spatula, fold in coffee and vanilla until coffee is mixed in just enough to create stripes.
• Fit a pastry bag with a large piping tip and roll down top a few times. If you don't have a pastry bag, use a large Ziploc bag (you won't need a piping tip); fold bag 2 to 3 times to make a cuff on the outside of the bag. Using a spatula, transfer the meringue from the mixing bowl into the pastry or Ziploc bag. Unroll cuff and twist the top a few times, to close the bag and force meringue into the bottom of the bag.
• If you are using a plastic bag, use scissors to snip a very small corner off of the bag. Squeeze 1 1/2-inch circles of meringue onto cookie sheets . If it is coming out too slowly, snip hole a little bigger. If you squeeze slowly and then pull tip up you will get a pretty top.
• Place in preheated oven and bake for 2 hours. Then, turn oven off and leave oven door partially open, leaving meringues in oven for at least one additional hour.
• Remove meringues from oven and carefully peel from paper. If they stick at all, return to the oven for another 30 minutes to finish drying out. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
• Grease 2 or 3 cookie sheets or use parchment paper lined sheets.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.
• Fold in confectioners' sugar.
• Stir coffee granules into warm water in small bowl until dissolved.
• Fold into meringue.
• Spoon meringue into piping bag fitted with 1 1/2 inch nozzle.
• Pipe mounds onto cookie sheet, each about 1/2 inch high, 1 inch in diameter and about 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake on lowest rack in oven for 35-40 minutes until dry.
• Turn oven off and let meringues stand in unopened oven until cool.
• Heat chocolate in medium saucepan on lowest heat, stirring often until melted; do hot overheat.
• Removed from heat.
• Stir until smooth.
• Dip bottoms of each meringue into chocolate (or 1 side of each meringue), allowing excess to drip back into saucepan.
• Place on foil or waxed paper-lined cookie sheets.
• Let stand in cool place until chocolate is set.
• Do not chill.
• Store in airtight containers.

IRISH COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• For meringues:
• Preheat oven to 250°F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder in small bowl to blend well. Using hand-held electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Add remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar to egg whites by tablespoonfuls and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold coffee-sugar mixture into meringue.
• Drop meringue by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Using knife, gently spread meringues 2 1/2- to 3-inch rounds. Bake until meringues are dry and can be easily be lifted from parchment, about 45 minutes. Transfer meringues to racks and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.)
• For filling:
• Beat 1 cup whipping cream in medium bowl to medium-firm peaks. Add sugar, Irish whiskey and instant espresso powder and beat until firm peaks form.
• Place 1 meringue on plate, flat side down. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon of espresso cream filling over. Top with another meringue, flat side down, and press gently until filling spreads to edge. Repeat with remaining meringues and filling. (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• Beat remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream in small bowl until firm peaks form. Spoon small dollop of cream atop each meringue. Garnish each with chocolate-covered coffee beans, if desired.

MINI MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Gradually beat in sugar until a little of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger feels smooth, not gritty. Stir in vanilla. Pipe or spoon small portions onto baking tray and bake 35 minutes, or until dry but not brown. Turn off oven and leave meringues to cool inside.

COFFEE-MERINGUE ACORNS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm, about 3 minutes. Whisk in salt and cream of tartar; remove from heat.
• Beat mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue is mostly cooled, about 7 minutes. Beat in extract.
• Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) and fill bag with meringue. Pipe meringue "kisses," each 1 inch in diameter, releasing pressure and pulling pastry bag straight up to create each, 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until crisp on outside and able to release easily from parchment, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth; remove from heat. Working 1 at a time, dip base of each meringue in chocolate, then coat base completely with nuts. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets and let stand until set, about 1 hour. Meringues can be made 5 days ahead and stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature.

ULTIMATE MERINGUE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 110C/ 100C fan/gas ¼.
• Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick liner or parchment paper (meringue can stick on greaseproof paper and foil).
• Tip 4 large egg whites into a large clean mixing bowl (not plastic). Beat them on medium speed with an electric hand whisk until the mixture resembles a fluffy cloud and stands up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted.
• Now turn the speed up and start to add 115g caster sugar, a dessertspoonful at a time. Continue beating for 3-4 seconds between each addition. It's important to add the sugar slowly at this stage as it helps prevent the meringue from weeping later. However, don't over-beat. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy.
• Sift one third of the 115g icing sugar over the mixture, then gently fold it in with a big metal spoon or rubber spatula. Continue to sift and fold in the remaining icing sugar a third at a time. Again, don't over-mix. The mixture should now look smooth and billowy.
• Scoop up a heaped dessertspoonful of the mixture. Using another dessertspoon, ease it on to the baking sheet to make an oval shape. Or just drop them in rough rounds, if you prefer.
• Bake for 1 ½-1 ¾ hours in a fan oven, 1 ¼ hours in a conventional or gas oven, until the meringues sound crisp when tapped underneath and are a pale coffee colour.
• Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack. (The meringues will now keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for a month.) Serve two meringues sandwiched together with a generous dollop of softly whipped double cream.

CARAMEL COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Make meringues:
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F. Lightly oil ramekins.
• Stir together 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons espresso powder in a small bowl. Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add sugar mixture a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and continue to beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks.
• Spoon meringue into ramekins, forming gentle swirling peaks in tops. Arrange ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until meringues are slightly puffed and a shade darker, 4 to 5 minutes (meringues will still be very soft). Transfer ramekins to a rack and cool 30 minutes, then chill at least 3 hours. (Meringues will deflate slightly and pull away from sides of ramekins.)
• Make syrup:
• Stir together 1/4 cup water and remaining tablespoon espresso powder in a small glass.
• Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1/4 cup water to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved and washing down any crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Boil syrup, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until mixture is a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat and carefully pour in espresso mixture (liquid will bubble and steam), then stir until well combined (if necessary, stir over low heat until caramel is dissolved). Transfer syrup to a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Make topping and serve meringues:
• Just before serving, beat cream with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks. Drizzle each meringue with 1 tablespoon syrup and top generously with whipped cream.
• *Available at specialty foods shops, some supermarkets, and The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836; bakerscatalogue.com).
• **Available at some cookware shops and Bridge Kitchenware (800-274-3435 or 212-688-4220).