Meringues with dulce de leche - Pilar Hernández's Chilean Kitchen
Meringues filled with dulce de leche were one of the cookies that were always on the Christmas table at my grandmother's house. Cookies have always been my favorite part of Christmas. I think I even liked them more than the presents.
- 3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup of fine granulated sugar
- a pinch of salt
- filling (1 cup)
- Before making the meringue, cover 2 oven trays with parchment or silicone baking paper (do not use parchment paper, it doesn't work; you can use Silpat).
- Preheat the oven to 200°F or 100°C. If your oven doesn't reach such low temperatures, heat to 300°F or 150°C. It's ideal to have an oven thermometer to be sure.
- Put the egg whites in a large bowl with the salt and beat at medium speed until the egg whites form soft peaks and hold their shape when lifted (do not bend).
- Add the sugar slowly while continuing to beat at medium speed, then continue beating at high speed for about 8-10 minutes, until it looks silky and when you take some of the batter and rub it between your fingers you can't feel any sugar granules.
- Place the meringue in a Ziploc bag or piping bag fitted with a round or star tip, depending on how you want the meringues to look. I used an Ateco #846 (affiliate link). You can place them quite close together; they hardly rise in the oven.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours if your oven is at 100°C (212°F). If you're unsure about your oven or whether it heats evenly, bake one tray first in the middle of the oven. If your oven is at 150°C (300°F), place the trays inside and lower the temperature. In both cases, let the meringues cool completely in the oven. Once cool, peel them off the parchment paper and store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Meringue is fragile, so handle it gently. If you live in a humid climate, freeze them.
- Stick them together with dulce de leche and serve. It's not a good idea to store them stuck together because the dulce de leche will make the meringues soggy and soft.
My grandmother had many lovely Christmas traditions. For starters, they grew pine trees at home, had a hedge of them, and always let a couple grow to use as their Christmas tree, so Christmas smelled of pine. Here in the US, I sometimes light scented candles to recreate those memories. She always bought chocolate Santas and attached a string to each one to hang on the tree. Of course, by the 25th, if we were lucky, there would only be one or two left. Now I do the same thing at home with my family.
The cookie table was and still is a classic at all celebrations in Chile: weddings, baptisms, first communions, important luncheons, and of course, birthdays. Meringues are a must, along with alfajores, cornstarch alfajores, fine cookies, coconut macaroons, cookie balls, and so many more.
*Remember that meringues are very sensitive to humidity, do not make this recipe if it is raining.
Description
It's a must-have on a cookie table.
