Meringue Cookies with Filling

By jimihndrks-2

Delicious Meringue Cookies are topped with the filling of your choice, chocolate or a compote of blueberry or peach. Yum!

Ingredients

• 3 3 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 3/4 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Take 3/4 cup granulated white sugar and process with Emerson blender until powder.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until foamy.

Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites until they hold soft peaks.

Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat, on medium-high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff peaks.

Beat in the vanilla extract.

Note: The meringue is done when it holds stiff peaks and when you rub a little between your thumb and index finger it does not feel gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers.

Preheat oven to 200°F and place the rack in the center of the oven.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You can form the cookies with a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip. I used a self seal plastic storage bag and cut a very small tip off the corner of the bag. Start in center and circle outward with the last 1 or circles on top of one another for "nest" look.

Cooks approximately 1-2 hours. About 5 minutes out get chocolate chips and fill in nests and put back in oven to let melt. Let cool.

Secondary filling: Make compote filling (blueberry, peach, etc.) and fill "nests" with spoon. Makes about 10 - 2 1/2-inch meringues (I actually made mine a little smaller and got about 18).