I've set a personal goal to create a complimentary food item for each ice cream recipe we do throughout the 16 weeks (counting last weeks finale of SSB) Sunday Slow Scoopers project.

Last week I baked Chinese Almond Cookies to go with the Toasted Almond Gelato.

This week, I baked meringue cups to hold the Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream.

Meringue is really simple to make, but takes a veeerrrry long time.

Because I had whites from 6 jumbo eggs left over from the ice cream, they measured a full cup. So I doubled my usual recipe. Here it is.

1 cup egg whites
1/2 teaspoon flavoring of your choice (I thought maple would compliment the ice cream.)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sugar

1- Put the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and bring to room temperature.
Add flavoring, cream of tartar, and salt; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase mixer speed to high and gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.

2- Place large piles of meringue on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spaced far apart. Use the back of your spoon to gently form the pile into a nest-like cup. Make sure you leave the bottom thick enough. Sprinkle with ground pecans (if desired)

3- Bake in a 225 degree oven for 1.50 hours. Do not open the oven door. Turn off oven and let cool down for at least another 1.5 hours. Remove from oven, cool complete and store in an airtight container.

Here is a picture of the meringue cups before they went into the oven. I know it is pretty hard to tell that they have a nest shape. I'll post another picture after they come out of the oven.

Oooh, I can't wait to see the finished product. One question, though - what do you have sprinkled on top of the meringue?

quote:

Originally posted by teaberry:
what do you have sprinkled on top of the meringue?

Based on the recipe directions, I'd say those are finely chopped pecans.

Thanks Deborah - this will be a great way to use up left over egg-whites!

The sprinkles look more like Grape Nuts than pecans. But they are indeed pecans.
I took a few of the butter pecan halves from the ice cream recipe and pulsed them in my mini until they were the size of Grape Nuts.

...Finished product?????
I can't wait!

Now, how long will they keep? We have 15 weeks of ice cream to get through.

Deborah-What a great idea. It will be interesting to see what you make each week to compliment the ice cream!

quote:

Now, how long will they keep? We have 15 weeks of ice cream to get through.

I'm thinking that you'll be able to make these every week given that you'll have 5 - 6 egg whites to use up with most of the ice cream recipes.

quote:

Originally posted by JDeQ:
I'm thinking that you'll be able to make these every week given that you'll have 5 - 6 egg whites to use up with most of the ice cream recipes.

I'm thinking you'd also get pretty darn tired of meringue!

We still need other ideas to use up the whites. So everyone put on your thinking caps!

I've made fruit cream with leftover egg whites, which tastes pretty darn good. It may be a good topping or accompaniment with the ice cream.