Raspberry Meringues – Recipe!

Sweet, crunchy and chewy — these Raspberry Meringues are a late summer favorite.

Meringues are a dessert mostly made up of egg whites and sugar and whipped together until marshmallow-like, and sometimes infused with vanilla, fruit or cocoa.  Freeze dried raspberries, when pulverized and folded into a fluffy meringue batter, add a light raspberry taste, while still allowing that insanely delicious creaminess.

Baking meringues in a simple task, in fact, it’s just about setting the oven to 300 degrees and turning it off when you pop the meringues inside.  Letting them rest in a warm environment dries them out gently, yet giving them a mild chewiness.  I like my meringues to have both a crunch and a chew, not completely harden.  However, if you want to achieve that effect, keep the temperature low on the oven for an hour, then turn off the heat, to dry them out completely.

Ingredients

6 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup freeze dried raspberries

1 drop red food coloring

(Makes 30)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a large stand mixer or bowl, add egg whites and beat on high until frothy.
2. Sprinkle in sugar, while the mixer is running.  Continue to beat until slightly thickened, and add cream of tarter and vanilla.
3. Continue to whip until marshmallow-like consistency, or firm peaks.
4. In a food processor, pulverize freeze dried raspberries.  Add by tablespoonful to meringue mixture and fold in by hand.  Add 1 drop of red food coloring, if desired, to achieve a more pinkish color.
5. Using a piping bag or large plastic bag, pipe into swirly rounds or dollop by tablespoonful directly on parchment lined baking sheets.
6. Place in oven and turn off heat.  Let dry out for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.  Remove from baking sheet and stack on cake plate or tray.  Enjoy!