Giant Meringue Cookies With Your Favourite Fillings

Everyone has been going crazy for my Salted Caramel Meringues so I thought I'd share some different ways to flavour these Giant Meringue Cookies.

WHAT ARE GIANT MERINGUE COOKIES?

They're quite simply a (slightly flattened) meringue that's been swirled with something delicious.  And they're made with just a few simple ingredients and flavoured with whatever takes your fancy....and I quite fancy these four flavours:

1. Nutella:  the meringue is filled with warmed Nutella, then topped with roasted hazelnuts for crunch.  Swirl it all through for a deliciously chocolate hazelnut Giant Meringue Cookie.
2. Biscoff:  this stuff is everywhere!  So golden and delicious, you swirl through some gorgeous Biscoff topping, then sprinkle over crushed Biscoff biscuits.  Swirl it all through for a Giant Meringue Cookie worth swooning over!  Note:  if you can't find Biscoff topping, use the spread, but warm it first to thin it out, allowing it to spread easily.
3. Chocolate:  you just can't beat a classic Chocolate Meringue Cookie!  Melt a little dark chocolate and let it cool slightly.  Swirl it through the meringue for a deliciously simple Meringue Cookie.
4. Salted Caramel:  it's where it all started!  Salted caramel makes the chewiest Meringue Cookies.  I used a store bought caramel, but for the purists, you can find my Homemade Salted Caramel recipe here
5. Lemon Curd, Jams and Jellies:  I have been asked so many times if you could use jam or curd in these Meringues, so I've given it a go....and YES, you absolutely can!  And it's delicious!  I use my Homemade Lemon Curd and also a store-bought raspberry jam.

TEXTURE OF MERINGUE COOKIES

I bake my Meringue Cookies for 1 hour, giving me perfectly crisp shells, with a deliciously fluffy and chewy centre.  If you'd prefer more chewy cookies, bake them in a fan-forced oven.  For fluffier centres, try a conventional oven.  I've baked mine in both conventional and fan-forced and both yield excellent results.  And of course all ovens vary, so your results may be slightly different to mine.

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TIPS FOR PERFECT MERINGUE COOKIES

• Eggs are easy to separate while they are cold, but make sure your whites are at room temperature before whipping.
• Make sure you whip the sugar and egg whites for the specified time -you need to ensure the sugar has completely incorporated.
• When filling the Meringue Cookies, make sure your warmed chocolate or Nutella is not too hot.  Let it cool a little, or it may cause the meringue to deflate.
• Use a large ice cream scoop to scoop out the mixture.  It's easier to handle the meringue and it means you'll get evenly sized Meringue Cookies.
• A long bamboo skewer is perfect for swirling the flavours through the meringues.

COMMON FAULTS IN MERINGUES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Egg whites not beating:

• there may be some yolk present
• your mixing bowl may not have been completely clean (any residual oil will prevent the egg whites from whipping)
• the egg whites were too cold
• you haven't beaten them long enough

Solution:

• Make sure you have separated the egg whites properly and perhaps try separating them into a small bowl first, before adding them to your mixing bowl.
• Wash your mixing bowl with hot soapy water and dry it completely.
• Separate your eggs beforehand and allow the whites to come to room temperature (this will take about an hour).  I actually store my eggs on the bench, as we tend to go through them pretty quick!
• Beating the egg whites on a medium high speed will only take a few minutes to reach a stiff peak.  But be careful not to overbeat, as they will become grainy!

Meringues Seeping:

• Your meringues have leaked a sticky syrup

Solution:

• Follow the recipe and slowly add sugar to the egg whites.  If the sugar has been added too quickly, it won't have time to dissolve into the egg white and you'll end up with seeping sugar.
• Whipping for the allocated time also means you'll end up with super glossy, stiff meringues.

MY FAVOURITE EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING MERINGUE COOKIES

• My Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer is an absolute dream for whipping egg whites -perfect meringues every single time!
• I can't live without ice cream scoops and these silicone grip ice cream scoops are beautiful to use.  I use 2 scoops of the larger size to make these Giant Meringue Cookies.
• These USA Pan Large Cookie Sheets are my all-time favourite cookie tray and easily fit 5 Giant Meringue Cookies.

(please note, while the above are all Amazon affiliate links, I only recommend them as they are what I use and love for my everyday baking)

I hope you enjoy one of my absolute favourite recipes!  I know you're all making them, so please share the love by leaving a review to let everyone know how delicious and simple they are!  And I'd love to see them on Instagram -please tag @apple.cake.annie when you post them.