So The Modern Baker is a great cookbook that Jill gave me. It has an Espresso Walnut Meringues recipe that offers substitutions on nuts and the coffee. This is helpful when you marry a non-coffee drinker such as Jill. Cinnamon is one of my favorites anyway, so popping that in was very tasty. And the recipe has a smidge of chocolate which enhances the cookie and makes it Marc friendlier than it was already.
Espresso Walnut Meringues
4 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
½ cup to 1 cup sugar (recipe was vague here – says one cup but only mentions half in the instructions)
1 ¼ cups (about 5 oz.) walnut pieces, finely chopped – not ground
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 oz. (25 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 tablespoons corn starch
Directions
- Set oven to 300F
- Place egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and whip with the whisk attachment on medium speed until white, opaque, and beginning to hold their shape. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip in ½ cup of the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time continuing to whip until the egg whites are stiff, but not dry. (this is where I split the diff and used ¾ cup sugar)
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and scatter the walnuts, then the espresso powder, chocolate, and cornstarch on top, one at a time, in order. Do not mix them all together beforehand. Use a large rubber spatula to fold them in.
- Use a soup spoon to make rough mounds of the meringue, about 2 inches apart on all sides, on jelly roll pans lined with parchment paper or silpat.
- Bake the meringues until they are almost dry (poke one with a fingertip to see), about 30 minutes. Slide the papers from the pans onto racks to cool.
Keep the cookies between sheets of wax paper in a tin or plastic container with a tight fitting lid.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitute pecans or hazelnuts (with skins on) for the walnuts. Omit the espresso and substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
This worked well!