Meringue Kisses

These delicate, melt-in-your-mouth meringue kisses are a delightful treat that's both simple to make and beautifully versatile. Inspired by 'The Meringue Girls,' this recipe ensures a crisp exterior with a soft, marshmallow-like interior.

Before diving into the recipe, here are some key tips to help your meringues turn out perfectly:

1. No grease allowed – Any grease in your bowl or on your whisk will stop the meringue from rising. Wipe both with half a lemon or some cider vinegar, then dry with a kitchen towel.

2. Egg whites only – If using whole eggs, make sure no yolk gets into the whites. Even a small amount will prevent the meringue from whipping properly. (Liquid egg whites are fine!)

3. Warm your sugar – Preheat the oven to 200°C and spread your caster sugar on a lined baking tray. Warm it for about 7 minutes until hot to the touch. This helps make your meringues glossier and more stable.

4. Minimal liquid flavoring – Only add very small amounts of liquid flavoring. Too much will deflate the meringue. I recommend “intense” flavorings from Amazon—they’re strong and only need a tiny bit.

5. Whisk gradually – Start whisking egg whites slowly and build up the speed. This helps create stable bubbles and ensures maximum volume.

6. Coloring trick – Instead of adding liquid food coloring to the meringue, paint the inside of the piping bag with gel colors. This avoids deflating your meringue while still giving it a beautiful color.

7. Sugar-to-egg white ratio – This recipe works on a 2:1 ratio of sugar to egg whites.

Ingredients:

• 500g caster sugar (warmed to the touch)
• 250g egg whites (liquid egg whites recommended)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Place the caster sugar on a baking tray lined with baking paper and warm it in the oven for about 7 minutes until it's hot to the touch.
2. Prepare Equipment: Clean your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with lemon juice or cider vinegar to remove any grease.
3. Whisk Egg Whites: Add the egg whites to the bowl and start mixing on low speed. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high as bubbles form.
4. Add Sugar: About 30 seconds before the sugar is ready, increase the mixer speed to full. Once the sugar is hot, begin adding it to the egg whites, one tablespoon at a time. Continue mixing until stiff peaks form and the sugar is fully dissolved (about 5 minutes).
5. Prepare Piping Bag: If adding color, paint the inside of your piping bag with food coloring. This method helps maintain the meringue's stability.
6. Pipe Meringues: Fill the piping bag with the meringue mixture and pipe small kisses onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake: Bake for 40–45 minutes. The meringues are done when they easily lift off the parchment paper without sticking.
8. Cool: Allow the meringue kisses to cool completely on the baking sheets.