Meringue Mushrooms Recipe
These stunning sweet meringue mushrooms are an easy snack to make and a charming decoration for any baked good, especially during Christmas. I love how pretty they look once they are finished in just over an hour, and you can even make them in advance for a simple holiday treat.
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ cup fine sugar
- ½ cup melted dark or milk chocolate
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°.
- Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the whisk attachment and whisk medium speed using the whisk attachment until soft peaks have formed, which takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Next, turn the speed to medium-high and slowly add in the sugar until it is mixed in, which takes about :30 to :45 seconds to pour in.
- Turn the speed to high and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes or until stiff peaks have formed.
- Transfer the meringue to a large piping bag with a ¼” to ½” round tip.
- Use half of the meringue to make round dollops using a circular motion onto a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper. They should have the diameter of a silver dollar about be about a ½ to ¾” in height.
- Next, use the remaining meringue to make the mushrooms stems by squeezing the piping bag onto a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and immediately pulling up on the bag and while stopping squeezing once 1 inch of the meringue is onto the parchment paper helping to taper it off. It’s ok if it has a sharp peak on top.
- Bake in the oven at 250° for about 45 minutes.
- Cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes to harden up.
- Using the end of a skewer make a small hole into the bottom part of the mushroom cap.
- Brush some of the chocolate all over the bottom part of the mushroom cap using a pastry brush including in the created hole to give it the appearance of gills.
- Press the pointy end of the mushroom stem into the hole of the mushrooms cap on the bottom and set it aside right side up. Repeat the process.
- Lightly dust the tops of the mushrooms with cocoa powder.
Notes
Taking an extra minute to dry out the meringue in the oven with the heat turned off is key because it helps the mushrooms keep their shape and prevents them from getting sticky later. Once the baking time is up, I crack the oven door and let them sit inside for another 15 to 20 minutes so the residual heat can pull out any extra moisture, which gives me crisp caps, sturdy stems, and a perfect texture for decorating cakes.
Use the right piping tip: I used the Wilton 1A tip for this recipe. It gives the caps and stems a clean round shape.
Adjust the color: I sometimes brush the mushrooms with cocoa powder for a darker look. It adds a pretty earthy finish.
Bake for white mushrooms: If I want the mushrooms to stay completely white, I bake them at 200 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. This keeps them pale and smooth.
Skip the gill look: You can also simply add a small amount of the melted chocolate into the created hole of the mushroom stem to help it stick if you do not want the “gill” look.
Make caster sugar: If caster sugar is not available, then process regular sugar in a food processor spice grinder for about 1 minute.
No pastry brush needed: If you do not have a pastry brush then simply use a butter knife.
Make-Ahead: You can make these up to 3 days ahead of time.
How to Store: I cover and keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. Do not refrigerate or freeze.