Meringue Cookies

Way back home this one is one of my favourite. I always looking forward to have this every school holidays or if my parents visits me and my brothers in Manila. After high school our parents, send us to Manila to study for a degree, by then we can only go back home in Aklan during the school holidays or we have extra money buy a ticket. On my first for years staying in Manila, we used to travel by sea and it takes almost 12 hours. Airline tickets were expensive that time we cant afford it. Aside from the excitement that I will finally be home after studying so hard and not able to get nice food I am able to get my favourite treats. 

One day while I am browsing google what to make with the egg whites. I have bunch of egg white left over from my leche flan. The I came across with these recipe. Please excuse my piping skills. I am not a professional baker. I only learned by myself by watching online tutorials (you tube) and reading in google. I found out that this lightest almost cloud like cookies, with a crisp outer shell, melt in your mouth is so simple to make. 

How To Make Meringue Cookies

Ingredients:

3 large egg whites

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

• Preheat your oven to 215F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Begin whisking the egg whites with the whisk attachment on a medium low. Place the egg whites in the mixer. Be sure that the mixing bowl and the attachment is free from grease. 
• Add the cream of tartar and vanilla.
• After the whites begin to foam, increase the speed to medium speed and gradually add the sugar. As the egg whites are whisked, air is incorporated. Little air bubbles will start to form and egg whites will foam. continue mixing until you reach stiff peak. At this point, the peaks should stand up nice and straight. The whites will be glossy and smooth.
• Fit a piping bag with a plain or star tip. Unfold the top of the piping bag about half way, then use a rubber spatula to fill the piping bag. Fill the bag only 1/2 to 3/4 of the way to full to prevent meringue from spilling out on the top of the bag. ( I put a gel food colouring on the sides of my piping bag before putting the meringue.)
• Pipe out the meringue on the prepared baking pan. 
• Bake for 60 minutes or until the outside is crisp and the inside dry yet chewy. When its done, turn off the oven but leave the meringue inside the oven until the temperature of the oven completely cool down. (approximately 1 hour)
• Baked meringue cookies may be stored in a covered container for few days. Do not refrigerate.