Minty Meringue Snowflakes

It’s that time of year again.

That cold, crisp nip in the air reminding us it’s time to pull out the heavy sweaters, dust off those snow boots, and accept that Old Man Winter is well on his way.

Of course, the bright side to dealing with those chilly, blustery nights is the excitement knowing the holidays are just around the corner. There’s nothing I adore more than planning and preparing for the joyous season; decking the halls, trimming the tree, gathering around the fire with family and friends while sipping hot cocoa. It almost makes you forget those flurries falling in abundance from the -12º sky.

Almost.

I love the holiday season as much as I do is because it’s a perfect time to reflect; a time to show our appreciation to those that means so much to us all year long. One of my favourite ways to do that is through baked goods.

This year, Minty Meringue Snowflakes will no doubt be the star atop of any cookie tray. A light crisp cookie with a hint of peppermint and zero fat that promises to awe even the most fickle of taste buds; a cookie that looks like you’ve spent days in the kitchen, when in fact, you won’t.

Who knows? You may even score another present under the tree for all your ‘hard’ work.

But don’t worry, I won’t tell.

Happy Holidays!

Jenny Jack, The Brunette Baker

Guest Blogger

Ingredients for Minty Meringue Snowflakes:

½ cup Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, at room temperature

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

2 cups icing sugar

Coarse sanding sugar, sprinkles, silver dragées, or crushed candy canes, optional

Directions for Minty Meringue Snowflakes:

Preheat oven to 200ºF/100ºC. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy.

Add in cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat egg whites until turn opaque and soft peaks are formed.

Increase speed to medium-high and slowly add in icing sugar, one generous tablespoon at a time, until all sugar is fully incorporated and stiff peaks begin to form. Beat in peppermint extract. Meringue is complete when glossy and yield stiff peaks.

Transfer meringue to a piping bag or a resealable storage bag, fitted with a star tip. (I used Wilton’s Drop Flower Tip, #131). Applying slight pressure to the bag, place a few dots of meringue on the underside of each corner of the parchment paper to help avoid paper moving when piping.

Begin to pipe meringue into snowflakes using a criss-cross method. Once snowflakes are assembled, decorate with coarse sanding sugar, silver dragées, crushed candy canes, or sprinkles.

Place in oven and bake snowflakes for 90 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking process to ensure even baking.  Meringues will be pale in colour and crisp when done. They will also release from the parchment paper with ease.

Turn off the oven, leave door ajar, and allow meringues to dry for several more hours in the oven.  Once complete, remove trays from oven and transfer meringue snowflakes to an airtight container, place between layers of parchment paper and store, at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.

TIPS

Use a metal, glass, or ceramic bowl when preparing meringue. Plastic bowls are not recommended as it is a porous material and can harbour residual fats or grease from foods previously stored in them, preventing the egg whips from whipping up properly.
It is equally important that all materials used are clean and completely dry. Meringue is quite sensitive and does not like moisture.
Room temperature egg whites whip up to a better volume. Let stand at room temperature for at least one hour prior to whipping. Or, to quickly warm cold egg whites, pour into a measuring cup and set the cup in a bowl filled with hot tap water for 10 minutes.
Pipe thick connecting lines for the snowflakes in order to make them less fragile to handle. Using a larger piping tip will help with this as well.
Replace peppermint extract and candy canes with another flavoured extract such as almond or vanilla.

For more sensational baking ideas including nutritious and tasty breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes visit Burnbrae's Recipe Page here .

Thanks to Our Guest Blogger:

Jenny, a self-confessed sugar addict, is the baker, writer, and photographer behind The Brunette Baker, a blog dedicated to all things sweet. When she’s not baking or blogging, you can usually find her catching up with a good book, eating Mexican food and spending time with her superhero husband and two equally awesome kids.