Sometimes we need a little magic in our lives. These pretty, dainty meringue cookies sparked a bit of magic in my life that I want to share with you. It started when I washed some beautiful little violas. Watching them float in a bowl of clear water was positively therapeutic. After pressing and weighing them down with a heavy book overnight, the reveal of perfectly flat, delicate blossoms was so satisfying. The process of making meringue is also very satisfying for me. I love the moment when the frothy egg and sugar mixture magically turns to glossy, billowy sweetness.
Piping the meringue circles was fun! I traced circles on the bottom of the parchment paper to use as a guide for stress-free piping. I used white chocolate to fill the center of the meringue circles, but you can also use white chocolate chips or candy melts. You can use any small edible flowers or flower petals. Feel free to express your creativity! Try using sprinkles, edible glitter or tint the meringue mixture with a few drops of gel food color.
Fairy Tale Meringues
Ingredients
Pressed edible flowers
- 24-30 small edible flowers
Meringue cookies
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup (200g) fine granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup (170g) chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
Instructions
Pressed edible flowers
- Gently wash the edible flowers. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Press between parchment paper. Weigh down with a heavy book for at least 24 hours.
Meringue cookies
- Beat the egg whites, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks. Continue beating and gradually add thensugar and almond extract.
- Turn mixer to up to high speed and beat to glossy, stiff peaks.
- Preheat oven to 200ºF (95ºC. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Transfer the whipped meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. I used Ateco #864*
- Pipe 2-inch circles about an inch apart onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for one hour. Turn off the oven and let the meringues cool in oven.
- In a microwave safe container, microwave white chocolate for 10 second intervals until melted or melt on the stovetop in a double boiler.
- Transfer the melted white chocolate to a squeeze bottle or a piping bag. Fill the centers of the meringue circles with white chocolate. Top each one with a pressed flower. Let chocolate set at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.