However, the humble humbug can become elevated to something extra special when you begin to use them in your baking. While you may have seen humbug inspired cupcakes and cookies before, these meringue cookies incorporate your favourite candy to make an authentic flavour.
These cookies are simple to prepare, so there is no need to keep these cookies as only a Christmas treat, as they make the perfect after school snack.
A Note on Oven Temperature:
While many cookies, cupcakes and other baked goods can be very resilient to different oven temperature, this recipe is a little different. The meringue base of this recipe needs an accurate oven temperature of 80ºc. If your oven is too warm your cookies will go brown, compromising both the appearance and taste of your cookie. However, if your oven is too cool, the cookie will not dry properly.
If you are not sure about the accuracy of your oven temperatures, you will either need to use an oven thermometer or keep a very close eye during baking.
Ingredients:
Three large egg whites
150 grams of sugar
30 grams of Peppermint humbugs finely crushed
The colour of your cookies will be affected by the humbugs, so you may prefer the green and white sweets rather than the traditional black or brown as this will create a more colourful final cookie.
Method:
Preheat your oven and line baking sheets with silicone or parchment paper. Place the sugar and egg whites into a heatproof bowl and set this over a pan containing simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has been completely dissolved and your mixture has become warm. Remove from the heat and whisk until you form stiff peaks. Gently fold in your peppermint humbug crumbs until evenly distributed.
Pipe the meringue onto the cookie sheets in circular swirls. Try to keep the cookies relatively thin, dolloping the meringue will mean that your cookies will be too thick to dry properly. If you lack skills with a pastry bag, you could place teaspoons of the mixture onto the tray, but use the back of your spoon to flatten into a circle.
Bake the meringue cookies for approximately 90 minutes. The meringue should be crisp but keep its colour. If you allow them to brown, they will lose their delicious pepperminty taste. Properly baked cookies should be easily lifted from the parchment paper. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.
