Meringues look fancy and if done right, has a chewy centre and crispy exterior. Edmonton's favourite bake shop, Duchess Bake Shop, released a cookbook with this recipe from Giselle Courteau. Here's the equipment you'll need: a baking sheet, an instant-read digital thermometer, a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip (#828 or #829). Be sure all your chocolate pieces are cut small enough to fit through your piping tip.
These meringues will keep at room temperature for up to two weeks. Enjoy them fresh, but if you need to store them, make sure you don't store them in the refrigerator or freezer.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a double boiler over medium heat, place the egg whites, icing sugar, and salt. Heat, whisking well every few minutes, until the mixture reaches 120°F (50°C).
Once the mixture has reached temperature, transfer it to a stand mixer bowl and whip on medium-high speed until stiff, shiny peaks form, about 10 minutes.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the vanilla and chocolate.
Insert your piping bag in a tall glass or container and fold the bag’s sides down over the edge of the glass. Fill the bag with the meringue. Holding the bag perpendicular over the lined baking sheet, squeeze the mixture out while lifting the bag to form meringues 2 to 21⁄2 inches wide (or 11⁄2 inches wide for mini meringues). Leave about 2 inches of space between each meringue.
Bake for 18 minutes for larger meringues and 15 minutes for smaller ones. They should have grown a bit in size and be slightly cracked on top, but still look shiny and quite light in colour. If you overbake the meringues, they won’t be soft in the centre.
Allow the meringues to cool on the baking sheet before removing them.
- Yield:
- 12 large meringues or 24 small meringues
