Peppermint Meringue Wreaths

Peppermint and the holidays just go together.
These pepper mint meringue wreaths will just melt in your mouth.

If you haven’t tried making meringues, the can be a little tricky.
I have a couple tips to share with you to help make it a bit easier.
First, I like to make small batches at a time.
The peppermint meringues bake low and slow.
Low temp, for a long time.

Start by preheating your oven to 200 degrees.

The first tip has to do with your tools.

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer will help whip up nice stiff peaks.

Another good tip is to use silicone baking mats on the cookie sheet.

Are you ready to make some peppermint meringue wreaths?

Gather your ingredients

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 egg whites

peppermint extract

4 mini candy canes (or 2 standard)

Add the 2 egg whites, salt and cream of sugar to a large glass or stainless steel bowl and whip to soft peaks with your hand mixer (or stand mixer).

See the little peak in the bowl? It gently holds form.

Once soft peaks form slowly add the sugar as you whisk the mixture.

Don’t mix too fast or it could cause the air bubbles to deflate.

Once all the sugar is added, continue to whisk until you have stiff peaks.

Can you see the difference?

It is so fluffy and just look at the form on that peak!

Once the sugar and egg whites have formed still peaks, carefully fold in one or 2 drops of peppermint extract.

I piped mine into wreath with a star tip.

You can spoon the mix on to cookie sheet so that they look like kisses, but the wreaths are just so pretty.

Take a couple candy canes and crush them in a ziploc bag – you could also pulse them in a food processor.

Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on the meringue wreaths

The candy canes add a pop of color and a bit more peppermint flavor.

Aren’t they darling?

In the 200 degree oven the little peppermint meringue wreaths go for 90 minutes.

Yes, 90 minutes.
Like I said, slow and low.

If the temp is too high, they will brown.

Keep an eye on them, they will start to darken if they bake too long.

They don’t take long to cool.

They also don’t take long to disappear.