Crisp Meringue Cookies

Before you start

Meringue cookies are nothing more than egg whites and sugar whipped into a stiff foam, piped into small kisses and dried in a very low oven until they are crisp all the way through. The classic French ratio of two parts sugar to one part egg white by weight gives a stable, glossy meringue that holds sharp ridges and melts quickly in the mouth.

The oven is for drying, not baking. At about 95°C (200°F), the meringues set and lose their moisture without coloring; at higher heat they brown, crack and stay sticky inside. Add the sugar slowly so it dissolves fully, which prevents beads of syrup from weeping out later. Humidity is the other enemy. On a damp day meringues can turn tacky in hours, so store them airtight as soon as they cool.

Ingredients

• 100 g (3 large) egg whites — room temperature, with no trace of yolk
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• Pinch fine salt
• 200 g (1 cup) superfine sugar — or granulated sugar pulsed fine in a blender
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Few drops gel food coloring — optional

Method

1. Heat the oven to 95°C (200°F) with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two sheets with parchment, dabbing a little meringue under each corner later to hold it in place. Wipe the bowl and whisk with a paper towel dampened with vinegar to remove any grease.
2. Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on medium speed until foamy and opaque, with soft peaks forming, about 2 minutes.
3. With the mixer on medium-high, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between additions. This takes 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla and keep whipping on high for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the meringue is thick, very glossy and holds a stiff peak that does not droop. Rub a little between your fingers; it should feel smooth, not gritty.
5. Fit the piping bag with the tip and fill it with meringue. If you want stripes, brush thin lines of gel coloring inside the bag first.
6. Hold the bag straight up about 1 cm above the parchment and pipe kisses about 3 cm wide, releasing pressure before lifting so each one ends in a point. Space them 2 cm (¾ in) apart.
7. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, swapping the sheets halfway, until the meringues feel dry and firm and lift cleanly off the parchment without sticking. They should still be white or barely ivory.
8. Turn off the oven, prop the door open slightly with a wooden spoon, and leave the meringues inside for 1 hour to cool and finish drying.

Tips for success

• Separate the eggs while cold, when yolks are firmer, then let the whites warm up for 30 minutes; warm whites whip to greater volume.
• Avoid making meringues on a rainy or humid day if you can. If you must, dry them a little longer and pack them airtight as soon as they are cool.
• Many ovens run hot at low settings. Check yours with an oven thermometer, because 20 degrees too warm is enough to brown the meringues.

Substitutions

Cream of tartar

Use ½ teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice. It stabilizes the foam in the same way, with no noticeable taste.

Superfine sugar

Regular granulated sugar works if you add it very slowly and whip longer so it dissolves. Powdered sugar contains cornstarch and makes a chalkier meringue.

Fresh egg whites

Pasteurized liquid egg whites from a carton can be slow to whip; allow extra time and use the cream of tartar.

Variations

Chocolate chip meringues

Fold 75 g mini chocolate chips into the finished meringue and spoon it into mounds instead of piping.

Peppermint swirl

Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract with the vanilla and paint red gel stripes inside the piping bag.

Troubleshooting

Meringues are sticky or chewy inside

They were underdried or absorbed moisture. Dry them longer at 95°C, cool them in the oven and store them airtight right away.

Meringues turned beige or brown

The oven was too hot. Verify the temperature with a thermometer and lower it by 10 degrees if needed.

Syrup beads weeping on the surface

The sugar did not dissolve or went in too fast. Add it a spoonful at a time and whip until the meringue no longer feels gritty.

Whites will not whip to peaks

A trace of yolk or grease is in the bowl. Start again with fresh whites and a bowl wiped with vinegar.

Storage

Store completely cooled meringue cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Keep them out of the refrigerator, where moisture softens them. If they turn tacky, dry them at 95°C (200°F) for 10 to 15 minutes.

Safety notes

Contains egg. The uncooked meringue is raw egg white; let it dry fully in the oven before eating.