This recipe teaches you how to pipe little meringue kisses and the importance of baking them slowly at a low temperature. They are easy to store in an airtight container in room temperature – and they make the perfect little snack, or edible treat to decorate cakes.
- Preheat the oven to 100C.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the egg whites and whisk until they form medium peaks, then reduce the speed slightly and gradually add the caster sugar a teaspoon at a time. You need the sugar to dissolve fully before adding the next amount of sugar and so this can take roughly 15 – 20 minutes.
- Once all the sugar has been added, check it is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your finger and thumb – if it still feels grainy then continue to whisk, it should be smooth and glossy.
- Once the meringue is made you want to line a few baking sheets with baking paper. A good tip is to stick the baking paper down with a little dot of meringue in each corner – this stops the paper from flying up in the oven and ruining your meringues.
- For each colour of kisses, you need to place a small nozzle in the end of a piping bag, then using a food safe paintbrush, brush the inside of the bag with a little food colouring of your choice. Spoon some of the meringue mixture into the bag and then pipe little kisses onto your lined baking sheets. Repeat this with as many colours as you like.
- Once all your kisses are piped, place the trays into the middle of the oven and bake for 40 -45 minutes. They should be light and lift easily off the paper when they are baked – if they are still stuck then leave them in for a little longer.
- Allow the meringues to cool slightly and then gently brush with edible gold and scatter across some Maldon salt before serving.
