These meringue mushrooms take a bit of work and time but are spectacular. They are highly prized for Christmas gift-giving! You will need a pastry bag with a plain tip. If you can save some green plastic berry baskets from the summertime, these mushrooms look totally realistic placed in them.
Ingredients
- large egg whites: 0.5 cup
- vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- cream of tartar: 0.25 tsp
- salt: 0.25 tsp
- white sugar: 1 cup
- unsweetened cocoa powder: 1 Tbsp
- ounces chocolate confectioners' coating: 4 piece
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
-
Gather all ingredients. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
-
Beat egg whites in a large glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until foamy. Add vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
Continue whipping until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in sugar so that it does not sink to the bottom and continue whipping until meringue holds stiff shiny peaks. Place a round tip into a pastry bag and fill the bag halfway with meringue. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
To pipe mushroom caps, squeeze out round mounds of meringue onto one of the prepared cookie sheets. Pull the bag off to the side to avoid making peaks on the top. Refill the bag with meringue as needed. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
To pipe mushroom stems, press out a tiny bit of meringue onto the remaining cookie sheet, then pull the bag straight up. They should resemble candy kisses. Do not worry about making all of the pieces exactly the same. The mushrooms will look more natural if the pieces are different sizes. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
Dust mushroom caps lightly with cocoa using a small sifter or strainer. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
Bake in the preheated oven until meringues are dry enough to easily remove from the cookie sheets, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool completely. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
Melt coating chocolate in a metal bowl over simmering water or in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
Rotate the tip of a paring knife in the bottom of a mushroom cap to create a small hole. Spread chocolate over the bottom of the cap. Dip the tip of a stem in chocolate and press lightly into the hole. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
-
When chocolate sets, the cap and stem will hold together. Repeat with remaining meringues. Store at room temperature in a dry place or tin. Allrecipes/Oana Ennis
