Meringue Mushrooms Recipe
These adorable meringue mushrooms can easily be mistaken for the real thing, thanks to a light dusting of cocoa powder. Watch cookbook author Alice Medrich bake and assemble these traditional garnishes for a bûche de Noël (Christmas yule log) in this CHOW Tip video.
Special equipment: You will need a 12- to 18-inch pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip to form the stems and caps of the mushrooms.
You will also need baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup (5.25 ounces) sugar
- About 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
- In a clean dry bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. On high speed, gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar about a tablespoon at a time. The mixture should stand in stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Scrape the meringue into the pastry bag. Pipe pointed “kisses” about 1 inch high to make “stems” on the lined cookie sheets. Do not worry if the tips bend over or sag. Pipe domes to make mushroom “caps.” Sieve a light dusting of cocoa over the caps and stems and fan them or blow on them vigorously to blur the cocoa and give the mushrooms an authentic look. Bake 2 hours until crisp and completely dry. Rotate the pans from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. If not assembling immediately, store caps and stems airtight as soon as they are cool to prevent them from becoming moist and sticky.
- To assemble the mushrooms: Place the chocolate in a small bowl set directly in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Immediately turn off the heat and stir the chocolate until melted and smooth. Use a sharp knife to cut 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch off of the tip of each stem to create a flat surface. Spread a generous coat of melted chocolate over the flat side of several mushroom caps. Allow the chocolate to set partially before attaching the cut surface of the stems. Repeat until all of the mushrooms are assembled. Set aside the assembled mushrooms until the chocolate has hardened and the caps and stems are “glued” together. To prevent them from becoming sticky, put them in an airtight container as soon as they are cool. May be stored airtight for 3 to 4 weeks.
UPGRADES
Coffee Meringue Mushrooms: Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder into the portion of sugar that is gradually beaten into the egg whites.
Chestnut Meringue Mushrooms: Mix 3 tablespoons chestnut flour with the 1/4 cup of the sugar that is folded in at the end.
This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food
team.
Reprinted with permission from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich. Copyright 2010. Published by Artisan Books.
