Holiday Meringue Cookies

Holiday Meringue Cookies ... Delicious meringue cookies, shaped into Christmas trees and wreaths. Light, airy and sweet confections that are crisp on the outside and soft and slightly chewy on the inside.

Holiday Meringue Cookies
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Makes : about 24 wreaths or 12 trees ( depending on the size )


Ingredients :

• 2 eggs ( whites only ), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp.  vanilla essence
• Few drops green food color
• Red and green candied cherries ( or tutti-frutti ), cut as desired
• Chocolate, melted ( optional )

Method :

• Preheat the oven to 140 C / 275 F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Separate the egg whites from the yolks in a large ( clean, dry and grease free ) mixing bowl. Make sure, no yolks gets into the whites as egg yolk will keep the egg whites from forming stiff peaks.
• Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer or beater, on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add sugar to the egg whites ( two tablespoon at a time ) and continue to beat, on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved. The mixture will be thick and glossy at this stage.
• Beat in the vanilla essence and food color ( for wreaths ).
• Place meringue mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe onto lined cookie sheets forming 2-inch wreaths; decorate with candied cherries ( or tutti-frutti ). For making Christmas trees, pipe back and forth in a zigzag motion.
• Bake 25 minutes, then reduce oven to 120 C / 250 F and continue baking for 23 to 27 minutes or until the meringues are pale, crisp and lift away easily from the parchment paper. 
• Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool.
• Drizzle the melted chocolate over cooled meringues, if you like and let it set.
• Store meringues in an airtight container at room temperature, up to one week.

Recipe Source : Land O'Lakes

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