W HAT’S COOKING
food
Low and slow is the secret to successful meringues. Gradually
add sugar to egg whites, then bake at a low temperature (no
peeking!) for a crisp exterior and tender center.
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE-
WALNUT MERINGUE KISSES
PREP: 25 MIN. BAKE: 1
V l
HR. STAND: 30 MIN.
OVEN: 300°F/200 F
2
egg whites
Va
tsp. cream of tartar
' / 2
cup superfine or regular
granulated sugar
2
oz. bittersweet chocolate,
coarsely chopped
V3
cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1. Let egg w hites stand in large bowl at
room tem perature 30 m inutes. Preheat
oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet w ith
parchm ent paper or lightly greased foil.
2.
Beat egg w hites and cream o f tartar on
m edium to high speed until soft peaks
form (tips curl). G radually add sugar,
about 1 tablespoon at a tim e, beating until
glossy and stiff peaks form (tips stand
straight). Fold in
V i
cup of the chocolate
and
V i
cup o f the nuts.
3.
Drop m eringue in six m ounds 2 inches
apart on prepared sheet. U sing back of
spoon, swirl the top o f each m eringue
into a high tip that curls.
4.
Place m eringues in oven; im m ediately
decrease oven tem perature to 200°F.
Bake 1
V
2
hours or until crisp and dry on
outsides. Cool com pletely on sheet on
w ire rack. Gently peel cooled m eringues
off parchm ent or foil. To serve, sprinkle
w ith rem aining chocolate and nuts.
5.
Store m eringues in an airtight
container at room tem perature up to
24 hours.
MAKES 6 MERINGUES.
EACH SERVING
160 cal, 8gfat (3gsat. fat), 0 mg
chol, 19 mg sodium, 23 gcarbo, 1 gfiber, 3gpro.
Daily Values: 1% calcium, 5% iron.
"U 9 C I n c K lU n I Dv/WL. M I I IClal,
glass, or stoneware bowl is best for
making meringue. Grease will prevent
whites from incorporating air; so
avoid plastic—it can be hard to get
completely grease-free.
■ TELLTALE SIGNS
If you’ve never
made meringue, or it’s been a while, the
key to success is to watch the “look” of
the egg whites. When they have a satin
sheen, it’s time to add more sugar. If they
become lumpy or grainy, you’ve beaten
too long Toss them and start over.
134
FEBRUARY 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
