Peppermint Wreath Cookies.
Everyone loves a deal right? So rejoice in this weeks 2 for 1 recipe! Both these adorably festive wreaths and the Peppermint kisses can be made from the same batch of meringue! Just simply half the mixture before colouring half green and you’re good to go!
Christmas is that time of year when everyone likes to bake and share their love with sweet treats, and these are perfect, light, crispy, chewy and marshmallowy they are certain to impress!
Ingredients
For the Meringue -
2 large egg whites (room temp) If making both these and the Peppermint kisses you can up this to 3 whites.
Caster sugar (double the weight of egg whites)
1 sachet / 1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
Green gel / paste food colouring
White vinegar (for cleaning)
Festive Sprinkles - Optional
Recommended equipment -
Method
1 -
For this part, I recommend using either a stand mixer or hand mixer. Thoroughly wash and dry your bowl and whisk and, once dry, wipe it down thoroughly with your vinegar using a paper towel.
Preheat your oven to 100 deg C and line a large flat baking / cookie sheet with either baking parchment or a silicone sheet, set aside.
2 -
Carefully separate your egg whites and add them to your clean bowl set on an electronic scale. Do this one at a time in case any egg yolk or shell makes it into the mix. If the yolk breaks you will have to discard and start again. You can buy egg whiles in a carton in most shops if you would find this easier.
Weigh the egg whites and make a note of this. In a separate bowl, weigh out double the weight of your eggs in caster sugar (for example, 100 g egg whites needs 200 g sugar). Set the sugar aside.
3 -
Place your egg whites, cream of tartar and salt to your clean mixing bowl and begin to mix on a low speed with a whisk attachment. After about 30 seconds, increase the speed to medium and whisk until foamy / bubbly, approximately 60 seconds. Once the eggs have become foamy, turn your mixer to medium / high speed and start to, very slowly, stream in the sugar 1 spoonful at a time, pausing slightly between spoonfuls. Keep adding your sugar gradually until you have used all of it. Whisk on high speed for 5 minutes.
4 -
Once the 5 minutes are up, add your peppermint, vanilla extracts and food colouring, If making the kisses too then half this mixture and colour just one half, See Peppermint Kisses recipe for details. Once the extracts and colouring has been added whisk on high for a further 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides to ensure the colour is evenly mixed. Once done, stop the mixer and scoop a small amount onto a clean finger, and rub between your finger and thumb. If you feel any grains of sugar, whisk on high for another 2-3 minutes and test again. Once the mixture is completely smooth and glossy, you are ready to pipe your wreaths.
5 -
Using a piping bag with a medium closed star tip, pipe a thin circle the size you would like your wreath, once done, begin piping small dollops around the circle creating little peaks to fully cover the base circle, this is achieved by holding your bag upright and squeezing until you have the size you want then pulling directly upwards to create a tip. Once piped sprinkle over your festive / colourful sprinkles, you can even add some edible glitter should you wish.
6 -
Once piped, bake your meringues in the middle of your preheated oven for 60 mins, ensuring they do not brown. You can turn the oven down and bake for longer if your oven runs on the hot side. Once the 60 mins is up, turn off the oven, do not open the door and leave to cool completely. Once the time is up, they should be fully dry and lift away from the sheet easily. If they still seem a little wet, you can bake them at 100 deg c for another 20 mins. Once done, store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
