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Meringue Mushrooms for a Yule Log: Bake Like a Professional Chef

Meringue Mushrooms
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Make adorable meringue mushrooms for your holiday treats! Easy, crunchy, and perfect for decorating a Yule Log

Ingredients

  • Ingredients

Gather these four simple ingredients to whip up your meringue mushrooms:

    • Egg Whites: 2 large egg whites (about 60g total), at room temperature for maximum volume. The Kitchn offers a great egg-separating tutorial.
    • Icing Sugar: ½ cup (60g), also called powdered or confectioners’ sugar, for sweetness and structure.
    • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: 1-2 teaspoons, for dusting the caps to mimic dirt. Opt for Dutch-processed for a deeper flavor.
    • Dark Chocolate: 2 ounces (50-60g), melted, to “glue” the caps and stems together. Use 70% cocoa for a rich taste—Bon Appétit has melting tips.

Equipment

    • Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
    • Piping bag with a ½-inch round tip
    • Baking sheet and parchment paper
    • Small saucepan (for bain-marie)
    • Heatproof bowl
    • Wire rack (optional, for cooling)

Instructions

Preparing the Oven and Meringue

    • Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 210°F (100°C)—a low temperature ensures the meringue dries without browning. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Create the Meringue: In a clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer, combine 2 egg whites and ½ cup icing sugar. Whisk by hand a few times to blend.
    • Heat Over Bain-Marie: Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), ensuring the water doesn’t touch the bowl. Whisk constantly until the mixture feels warm (about 160°F/70°C if using a thermometer) and turns foamy—about 3-5 minutes. This step pasteurizes the eggs and stabilizes the meringue.
    • Beat Until Stiff Peaks Form: Remove from heat and attach the bowl to your stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until the meringue cools completely, forming glossy, stiff peaks—about 8-10 minutes.

Piping the Meringue

    • Prepare the Piping Bag: Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip. Secure the parchment to the baking sheet by piping small dots of meringue in each corner.
    • Pipe the Mushroom Caps: Hold the bag perpendicular to the sheet, about ½ inch above the surface. Squeeze gently to form round domes (1-2 inches wide), releasing pressure cleanly to avoid peaks. Smooth any spikes with a damp fingertip.
    • Pipe the Stems: For stems, position the bag vertically and pipe a small base, then lift slowly while squeezing to create a tapered, pointed end (1-2 inches tall). Space caps and stems 1 inch apart to prevent merging during baking.

Baking the Meringue Mushrooms

    • Bake: Lightly dust the caps with cocoa powder using a fine sieve for a natural look. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until the meringues are crisp and lift easily from the parchment. Let them cool completely on the sheet.

Assembling the Meringue Mushrooms

    • Sort Caps and Stems: Match caps and stems by size for a balanced look. You’ll likely have extras—perfect for snacking!
    • Melt the Chocolate: Melt 2 ounces of dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave (30-second bursts, stirring between). Let it cool slightly for easier handling.
  • Method 1: Poke a small hole in the flat side of each cap with a toothpick. Dip the stem tip in melted chocolate and insert it into the hole. Let cool upside down on a wire rack until set.Attach Caps to Stems: Choose one method:
    • Final Touches: Dust the assembled meringue mushrooms with a bit more cocoa powder for a rustic, forest-floor effect.

Notes

  • Egg White Temperature: Room-temperature egg whites whip up faster and fuller—let them sit out for 30 minutes before starting.
  • Meringue Stability: If your kitchen is humid, add ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar during beating to help the meringue hold its shape.
  • Piping Consistency: The meringue should be thick but pipeable. If it’s too runny, beat longer; if too stiff, it won’t form smooth caps.
  • Cocoa Dusting: Apply cocoa lightly—too much can make the caps taste bitter. Use a small sieve for even coverage.
  • Chocolate Setting: Speed up assembly by placing mushrooms in the fridge for 10 minutes after attaching stems, but don’t store them there long-term.
  • Oven Check: Every oven varies—test one mushroom first to ensure 1 hour at 210°F (100°C) dries them fully without browning.
  • Yield Variation: Depending on size, you’ll get 12-15 mushrooms. Pipe extras if decorating a large Yule Log.

Nutrition

Keywords: Meringue Mushrooms

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