Peppermint Meringue Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making meringue? ›

Italian meringue, like Swiss meringue, is cooked. It's the most stable of all three meringues, and it's ideal for buttercreams, piped decorations, topping tarts, and baking into cookies. Here, there's no double boiler involved.

From soufflés to pie toppings to cookies and Pavlova, meringue can be served any number of ways. But not all meringues are the same. There are in fact three major types: French, Swiss, and Italian.

If you add the sugar too quickly then the mixture will never acquire the stiff consistency you want. You also need to be careful if you've used extra ingredients to flavour your meringues. Oils (such as those in nuts or zest) and liquids can stop the egg whites from stiffening, so you have to experiment with amounts.

Fat will cause your whites to not reach stiff peaks. Also, adding cream of tartar or a little lemon juice will help make a solid meringue. Your bowl and beaters should be totally clean and dry. Even one little fat molecule cannot touch the egg whites.

Normally, to achieve this you whisk the egg whites until it forms peaks that flop over when you lift the whisk. Then you add sugar gradually, whisking until you get to the above mentioned stiff peaks. Meringue at the stiff peak stage should have a glossy sheen. If it looks dry, you have gone too far.

A warning — if you add your sugar too slowly the mix will get too fluffy and the texture of the meringues will be too open. Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold.

The cornflour and vinegar that is added strengthens the egg white and make it more stable and you get the marshmallowy centres from the shorter cooking time.

Is cream of tartar or cornstarch better for meringue? ›

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.

The more sugar added to a meringue mixture, the denser and smoother the final foam will be. Sugar inhibits the eggwhite protein from forming bonds around air pockets, so the more sugar you incorporate, the less airy the foam will be. Adding the sugar too late and/or too slowly.

The crisp, ethereal cookies you know and love have egg whites to thank for their texture. Ensure the meringue turns stiff and glossy by adding in a pinch of cream of tartar.

There is such a thing as too strong. If your whipped egg whites become curdled and dry, they have gone too far. After excessive whipping, the proteins can get so close to each other, they essentially suffocate and expel the water contained within their circle, causing your foam to separate.

Simply beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). This will take 4 to 5 minutes total.

Make sure the bowl and beaters are scrupulously clean and dry before using them. Add 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar for every 2 egg whites to maximize volume and prevent them from drying out. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, add sugar gradually, while beating to stiff peaks.