Description
Light, airy, and delicately flavored peppermint meringues with a crisp exterior and melt-in-your-mouth texture. These festive treats are enhanced with peppermint extract and optionally adorned with white or semisweet chocolate and crushed candy canes, perfect for holiday gatherings or a refreshing dessert anytime.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meringues:
- 4 egg whites (from 4 large eggs), room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup caster sugar (super fine sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
Optional Toppings:
- 6 oz melted white chocolate
- 6 oz melted semisweet chocolate
- ½ cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 225°F (107°C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the meringues from sticking during baking.
- Beat Egg Whites: Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes to begin creating volume and structure.
- Add Cream of Tartar and Beat to Peaks: Add the cream of tartar, then increase the mixer speed to high. Beat for 2 more minutes until soft peaks begin to form, stabilizing the egg whites.
- Incorporate Sugar Slowly: While on medium speed, add the caster sugar gradually, one tablespoon at a time, mixing for 20 seconds between additions. Scrape down the bowl sides occasionally to ensure even incorporation. Continue until all sugar is added and the mixture is stiff, glossy, and forms firm peaks.
- Add Peppermint Extract: Gently fold in the peppermint extract until just combined to avoid deflating the meringue mixture.
- Pipe Meringues: Transfer the meringue mixture to a piping bag fitted with a closed star or swirl tip. Pipe mounds spaced about 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake and Dry: Bake for 1 hour. Afterward, turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for an additional 90 minutes to further dry out without browning. If the centers are still chewy, leave them for another hour or more to achieve a crisp texture. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Optional Chocolate and Candy Cane Decoration: Once cooled, dip or drizzle the meringues with melted white or semisweet chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature for better volume.
- Add sugar slowly to avoid deflating the meringue.
- Do not overmix after adding peppermint extract to maintain the structure.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- For chewier centers, reduce drying time; for crisp meringues, extend drying time in the turned-off oven.
- Store meringues in an airtight container to keep them crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meringue
- Calories: 35
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
