Winter Market Brown Sugar Snow (Print Version)
Pillowy meringue clouds with caramelized brown sugar and toasted nuts, creating a cozy winter dessert for festive gatherings.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Meringue
01 - 4 large egg whites, room temperature
02 - 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
03 - 1/4 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Nutty Crunch
07 - 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
08 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
09 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon
→ Garnish
10 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
11 - Optional: gluten-free edible gold stars or sprinkles
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Preheat oven to 250°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form.
03 - Gradually add brown sugar and granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in vanilla extract.
04 - In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the chopped nuts with brown sugar and cinnamon until fragrant and just golden, 3–4 minutes. Let cool.
05 - Gently fold toasted nuts into the meringue.
06 - Spoon or pipe meringue onto prepared baking sheets in heaping, cloud-like dollops (about 2½-inch rounds), spacing apart.
07 - Bake for 1 hour, until crisp and dry but not browned. Turn off oven and let meringues cool inside with the door slightly ajar for 30 minutes.
08 - Dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with optional gold stars before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These meringues shatter delicately between your teeth before melting away, leaving just a whisper of brown sugar warmth that might remind you of those paper cones of roasted nuts from winter markets.
- They look impressively fancy but actually forgive little mistakes, perfect for those nights when you want something sweet without much fuss.
02 -
- Humidity is the enemy of meringue - I once made these on a rainy day and had to increase the baking time by nearly 30 minutes to get that satisfying crisp exterior.
- The meringues will still be slightly soft in the center when you turn off the oven, but they firm up beautifully during that crucial cooling period with the door ajar.
03 -
- When separating eggs, do it while theyre still cold from the refrigerator, then let the whites come to room temperature - they separate more cleanly when cold but whip up with more volume when warm.
- The baking time varies with meringue size - if you pipe smaller meringues, start checking for doneness after 45 minutes by gently lifting one with a spatula to see if it releases easily from the parchment.