Week 6 - Ghost Meringues

Oh what a long and painful week it has been. I have had a horrible pain in my neck all week and finally found out the cause, a torn muscle. All these years I thought it was a migraine in the back of my head, but it turns out it was a muscles slowly tearing in my neck, and apparently it finally let go. Luckily my doctor gave me some great painkillers and I can finally get a couple comfortable hours a day out of it.

This weekend was perfect! Mr. VIP and I had a nice Friday date night, we went out for dinner and to a movie, it was a great end to my long week. Saturday we enjoyed another hike and more trips to the pet store, I’ll have to get new pictures of the tank to show everyone. VIP has been very sweet and protective of me this weekend, since we found out about my neck. I thought I could just go on with it, but even sitting in the movie theatre bothered my neck, as well as shoulder checking while driving and hitting any potholes. He has been so sweet though with the neck rubs and always making sure I’m comfortable J. Couldn’t ask for a better man.

So instead of doing my baking a little earlier in the week, I waited until I was good on my pain meds. However this weeks recipe is wonderful!! When I had them ready to go into the oven they were so adorable!! I decided since we are so close to Halloween, to do a couple spooky recipes. This is how we ended up with Ghost Meringues! They are so cute, and a great treat for adults and kids alike.

 

Crisp Chewy Meringues

Oven: 225F   Makes: 12 – 15 Ghosts

4 egg whites
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (or orange flower water, or maple extract)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Mini Chocolate Chips

Whip the whites and salt into peaks, add the vanilla, and continue beating to stiff peaks. Stir the cream of tartar into the regular sugar and whisk into the whites very gradually, a spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and the sugar has dissolved. Sift together the icing sugar and cornstarch. Sift over the meringue and gently fold until fully incorporated.

Pipe the meringues onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, almost like you are filling an ice cream cone. Place 2 mini chocolate chips for the eyes. Bake at 225ºF/110ºC until cream-coloured and crisp on top when tapped, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove from the oven. Cool on the trays. Store in an air-tight container.

 

 

Tips:

If you can pipe in one smooth move, it is less likely your meringue will crack between the sections. These are on the sweeter side, because you take them out before they go brown and hard, so they are soft in the middle but hard on the outside. You may want to cut back on sugar when doubling the recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These turned out great! They were so adorable and very good. As mentioned they are on the sweeter side, so I will probably adjust the sugar next time to fix that. Other then that, they were perfect. They would work for any Halloween party, adult or child.

 

 

Another week down :). Hope everyone is enjoying the fall season, make sure to get out and walk through the leaves, it's just like being a kid again.

 

 

Happy Baking!!!

 

Sey