Pumpkin Meringues
These Pumpkin Meringues are sweet and fluffy treats that look like pumpkins with a bright and vibrant orange color and are made with only 5 ingredients.
Servings: 4 dozen
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
- With a clean Kitchen towel, or paper towels, make sure there is no grease, fat, water, or anything else in the mixing bowl, as that may keep the egg whites from whipping into stiff peaks.
- Place the egg whites in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream of tartar, and salt, and mix on Medium until you see a lot of little bubbles forming across the egg whites. Turn your mixer up one speed, and you'll see more little bubbles.
- Add the Vanilla, and Sugar one Tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until all the Sugar is added, and dissolved. Turn the mixer on high, and beat the egg whites with the Whisk attachment until they form thick stiff glossy peaks, about 5 - 7 minutes - (see photo).
- Turn the mixer off once the egg whites are at this stage. If you're adding food coloring, ONLY use Gel food coloring, Divide your egg whites into as many bowls, as you are using Gel colors for. When you've finished, add the Gel coloring to the egg whites, and fold the Gel coloring into the egg whites, just until blended.
- Place the egg whites in a piping bag with the large Star tip, and pipe the Egg Whites onto a Parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a swirling motion, coming up to a point. If you don't want to pipe the Meringues, you may spoon them onto the Parchment paper, by the Tablespoonful.
- When you have filled the parchment lined cookie sheet, place it in the oven at 250 degrees for 1 hour, then turn the oven off, and leave the Meringues in the oven for an hour with the door closed. After one hour, remove the Meringues from the oven, and completely cool on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
- Egg Whites: I hate separating eggs, so, I bought Great Value egg whites, in a carton, just like a quart Milk carton, in the dairy case, where the eggs are located. I couldn't find these at Wal-Mart Super Center, but they do have them at the Neighborhood Market. The ingredients on the side of the carton, simply state 'Egg Whites', and nothing else, and that's what you want. Here's why; many of the packaged egg whites out there contain stabilizers, or preservatives, and besides not wanting those in your Meringues, they'll keep the egg whites from whipping to stiff peaks, and you must have them stiff to pipe Meringues. So, purchase the Great Value Brand, and they'll work fine, unless you want to separate the eggs, then you can do that as well, but make sure you do not get any of the yolk in with the whites, because they won't whip like they need to, to make Meringues.
- Storing: The Meringues should be firm to the touch, and easily remove from the parchment paper once cooled. Store the Meringues in an airtight container at room temperature. They must be in an airtight container, or they will become sticky. If they appear to be sticky, place them in an airtight container, and leave them for a couple of hours, and they should be fine. I stored mine on parchment paper in an airtight container. They will keep for 7 to 10 days, but I recommend using them, or eating them within 3 to 5 days for best flavor.
- Coloring: You can make these any color you want, or any shape you want. If you want to use a different tip besides the Star tip, you can try different shapes and colors for a real variety of ways to make Meringues.