Description
Delightful and festive Meringue Christmas Trees made with airy whipped egg whites tinted green and decorated with sprinkles, perfect for holiday celebrations. These crisp and sweet treats are light, visually stunning, and easy to prepare with straightforward ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Mixture
- 4 large egg whites room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring to desired shade
Decorations
- Round sprinkles optional
- Star sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Beat Egg Whites: Place the room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean, dry stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed with the whisk attachment until frothy.
- Add Sugar Gradually: Slowly add the granulated sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat. Increase speed to high and beat until the mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks and the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Incorporate Vanilla: Gently beat in the vanilla extract just until combined to add subtle flavor.
- Add Color: Mix in the green gel food coloring thoroughly until you achieve your desired shade of green for the meringue.
- Pipe Trees: Transfer the meringue mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (such as Wilton 1M). Pipe tall swirling shapes on the prepared baking sheets in the form of Christmas trees, spacing each about 1 inch apart.
- Decorate: Optionally add round sprinkles as ornaments and place star sprinkles on top of each meringue tree for a festive look.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the meringue trees for 45 minutes at 200°F. Then turn off the oven and allow them to cool inside the oven for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight without opening the oven door to ensure they dry properly.
- Store: Once completely cooled, store the meringues in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them crisp.
Notes
- Store meringues in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days, keeping them in a cool, dry place away from humidity.
- Reheating is not recommended as meringues are best served crisp and fresh.
- Freezing is discouraged because moisture from freezing ruins the delicate texture.
- For best volume and stability, use room-temperature egg whites and ensure your mixing equipment is clean and dry.
- Add sugar gradually to allow for full dissolution and achieve a glossy, stiff peak meringue.
- Pipe meringues on parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
- Do not open the oven door during the cooling phase inside the oven to prevent cracking and maintain structure.
