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A cookie for everyone By Kady Guyton
For some odd reason I seem to know about the half the people in the country who can't have wheat. The other half is made up of people who are some form of diet. And they all request goodies at the holidays. Because wheat or gluten-free and low calorie while also being sweet and festive is a tricky order, I had to mull this one over for awhile. Inspiration came in the form of a cookbook I picked up in England a few years ago: Meringues. Meringues in the United States are usually served up in the form of toppings on cold pies. In the rest of the world, they are a desert category in their own right; as well they should be. Meringues done well are delicious: sweet and airy, yet crisp mouth melting. Because the egg whites are very neutral, any other flavoring can be added without worrying about muddying the palate. They are also ridiculously cheap to make. Three egg whites and a couple tablespoons of sugar will produce about two dozen cookies depending on size. Or if you are feeling especially ambitious, they can be piped into large circles, stacked, filled with fruit and presented as a pavlova. The key to baking meringues is to keep the oven "low and slow". In other words, never above 200 degrees and plan for at least an hour and a half to two hours in the oven. The cookies don't so much bake as simply dry out. I also strongly recommend lining the baking pans with parchment paper. Meringues don't require oil and the parchment helps them pull away from the baking sheet. The other factor to keep in mind while mixing the egg whites is that the mixing bowl should be dry and free of any oil or grease. The classic French way to achieve this is to wipe the bowl down with a cut lemon, then dry it. Once all that is in place, all that's needed is an electric mixer. I piped my cookies with a pastry bag and star tip, but if a more rustic look is wanted, they could just as easily be dropped with a spoon. If vanilla cookies are too mainstream, two tablespoons of unsweetened coco powder or instant espresso grounds can be added for chocolate or coffee flavored meringues. Meringue Cookies Preheat oven to 200°F with racks in upper, middle, and lower thirds of oven (or use 2 racks and bake in batches). Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat egg whites with vanilla and a pinch each of cream of tartar and salt with mixer at medium-high speed until it just holds soft peaks. Add sugar, a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Bake, switching position of upper and lower sheets halfway through baking, until dry, crisp, and firm, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Meringues are done when they release from parchment.) Turn off oven and cool meringues in oven with door propped open 1 hour, then slide parchment with meringues onto racks to cool completely. Dip meringues in chocolate: Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Stir together chocolate and vegetable oil until completely smooth. Peel meringues off parchment, then dip bottom of each into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer meringues to lined baking sheet, arranging as close together as possible, and when baking sheet is full, freeze meringues just until chocolate is set, about 3 minutes. Remove meringues from freezer. |
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