Meringue Mushrooms: Part 1

While at work one day, doing what I do best, using StumbleUpon, I discovered a recipe that blew my mind. Evidently you can create meringue cookies in the shape of mushrooms.  I have since learned that meringue mushrooms have been a part of every yule log recipe since the beginning of time, but they are new to me! East Village Kitchen showed me the way to my most profound meringue mushroom needs. With their  to the T step by step instructions, there was no way I could go wrong…

I began by putting the egg whites into the mixer and whipping them on low for a few minutes till it became slightly frothy.

I then added in the salt and cream of tartar and whisked it for a few more minutes till it began to look like this:

At this point the recipe tells you to begin adding the 1 cup of sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Now it took me a good 10 minutes before I figured out that 1 cup equaled 16 tablespoons, but in the long run it made this process a whole lot easier. After every addition of sugar I let it mix for about 30 seconds. Once I got halfway through (8 tablespoons) I added the vanilla and let it mix thoroughly. Once I finished adding the remainder of the sugar I set my stand mixer on high and walked away. After about 12 minutes I returned and to my surprise was greeted with meringue that looked like this:

It resembled the consistency of Cool Whip, but was much tastier, and had no evil trans-fats. After adding the meringue into a disposable pastry bag fitted with a #12 tip from Wilton’s Master Tip Set, I was in business!

I began by making about a million and a half (ok, I’m exaggerating) mushroom tops and bases. I made sure I alternated one base – one top so that I would always know I had enough to go around! To make the base all I did was hold the bag upright, then began squeezing and making the fattest part of the base about the size of a nickel and slowly lifted my hand to create the mushroom stems, they turned out to be about an inch tall, but you can make them any which way you’d like, short and fat, tall and skinny, the skies the limit.

To make the mushroom tops you use the same tip, and hold the bag in the same position, but you leave the tip where it is and let the meringue slowly fan out into a perfect circle, again making them as big or as small as you’d like.

Then begins the fun part, dusting the cocoa on top!

As you can see, I take my meringue dusting very seriously!

That is what they should look like before.. now it is important that you dust them before you bake them. It may sound strange, but your hard work and patience will be rewarded. I baked these cookies at 225° for an hour and fifteen minutes, then I shut off the heat, opened the oven and let them come to room temperature for about an hour.

And this is what it should look like after, can you see the realistic brown speckles? This would not happen if you dusting them after the baking process.

I would call these meringue mushrooms a success, 95% of them came out unharmed! Some were not so lucky… word of advice, buy a Silpat!

Part 2 coming soon!