“I remember first having these at our annual Christmas Buffet at Mt. Hermon. They were so different from any other ‘cookie’ I’d ever had, and every year I’d look specifically for these on the dessert table every year. As it became more difficult to make the Christmas Buffet in college due to Fall quarter finals, I had to start making these myself. They spend a lot of time in the oven … 5 to 6 hours! … so plan to ahead if you think you might start craving these! – April Ferre
Meringues
Ingredients
- 4 Egg Whites
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract or 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
- Place egg whites in a large, deep bowl. Cover with a clean cloth. Allow egg whites to warm to room temperature, about 30 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or plain brown paper.
- Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly. Sift together powdered sugar and cornstarch. Add to egg white mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly. Beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in almond extract or vanilla.
- Spoon into pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe egg whites onto baking sheet. Bake for 2 hours. Turn off oven and let cool in closed oven for 3 to 4 hours. Remove from parchment paper with spatula and store in an air tight container.
2002 Recipe – April Ferre – From HPBooks Soups and Sandwiches, 1983