The Best Kind of Mushrooms

Meringue Mushrooms & Kisses

The best kind of mushrooms are the ones that are made out of pure sugar... especially for those of you who don't like the slimy vegetable ( I happen to love them).

A yummy and beautiful holiday cookie to make is a Meringue.  They are festive, tasty and they melt in your mouth.  Meringue cookies can come in many forms, but I think my favorite is as a Mushroom.  Meringue Mushrooms are pretty and festive and they are the perfect decoration if you are making a Yule Log.  But another great way to present a Meringue cookie is by adding food coloring and making pretty Meringue kisses.




Meringue Cookies Recipe

Makes about 2 dozen.

2 egg whites

2/3 C. sugar

1/8 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1/4 C. semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1/2 tsp. Almond Extract

Cocoa Powder (optional)

• Grease large cookie sheets, dust with flour, tap off excess.  

• Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and almond extract until foamy in small bowl with electric mixer at high speed. Sprinkle in sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until sugar dissolves & meringue forms stiff peaks.  Spoon meringue into a pastry bag. 

• To make mushroom caps: Press meringue into 1 1/4” rounds holding the bag vertical & close to the cookie sheet.   
• To make mushroom stems: Make as many stems as caps by holding the pastry bag vertical and pulling straight up while piping meringue 1” long. 
• To make kisses: Add a few drops of red or green food coloring to the meringue while whipping it.   Using a star tip pipe a circle patter pulling up as you form the circle.  

There are many other options/shapes you can do with Meringues.  

Bake in low oven 250° for 30 minutes or until firm, not brown. Cool on cookie sheet on wire 

rack.  Loosen carefully with a small spatula, remove wire rack to cool completely.  

To assemble mushrooms:

• Melt chocolate in a cup over hot water.  Working carefully, make a small hole in the underside 

of the cap with a tip of a knife. (It's easy to crack your meringue caps doing this step so be careful.)  Spoon in melted chocolate and press stem into place.  Set them to dry.

• Place cocoa powder in a sifter and slightly sift over the tops of the mushrooms for a realistic look.