Recipe Talk

Hi there,
I am on the hunt for a cookie recipe from the 70's. It was a sugar cookie base and I believe it was baked first and the topping added and baked again. I am not sure it may have been one step. The topping is the mystery, I know there was cream of tarter, egg whites and sugar but no idea what else. You put a dollop of this on top the cookie base.It would be simalar to meringue but remains soft. Hope someone knows of this, I would love to make them for my son.
Thanks in advance
Jamie

Cherry Coconut Bars
Submitted by: Marcia
Yields: 12 servings

"Shortbread-type base with a coconut, nuts, and cherry meringue-type topping"

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons confectioners'

sugar

2 eggs

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking
powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries,

quartered

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

2. With your hands, mix together 1 cup flour, butter and confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread thinly (with fingers) on bottom of 8 x 8 x 2 inch square pan.

3. Bake about 25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs and stir all
remaining ingredients into the eggs. Spread over cooked base and bake about 25 minutes more.

Cool.

Almond Meringue Shortbread

Servings Cookies Nuts

Ingredients :

2 cup Flour

2 x Egg yolks

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Butter

1/2 cup Jam or jelly

2 x Egg whites

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Method :

Heat oven to 400. Make a well in center of
flour; add egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, salt & butter. Work with hands until well blended.

Press dough into ungreased square pan, 9*9*1 3/4". Bake 15-20 minutes.

Cool slightly; spread with jam or jelly. Beat whites until foamy.

Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar & cinnamon. Continue beating until whites stand is stiff peaks.

Spread meringue over jam.

Bake 8-10 minutes.

Cut in 1 1/2" squares.

Hey girls, thanks for the reply. My discription of the base made it sound like a square. It is individual cookies, plain sugar cookie. Thanks for the recipes though they look great. I wish I could remember what the cookies were called. Let me know if anything comes to mind. Thanks again.
Jamie

Hey patty, I think I may have found something this morning. Cookie merangue, the recipe doesn't say anything about cookies but says beat until spreadable. Do you know anything about cooked merangue?
Thanks
J

Hey Jamie, I saw your post on joy of baking , I don't have your recipe but it sounds like your sugar cookie base was probably topped with Seven

Minute Frosting

Here is that recipe

Seven Minute Frosting Categories

2 Egg whites
1 1/2 c Sugar
1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
1/3 c Water

Over boiling water in double boiler, beat all ingredients until mixture stands in stiff peaks, about 7 minutes. Don't make this on a hot humid day - it won't work.

Cookie

Meringue Cookies (Plain and with Ground Almonds)

A meringue (pronounced muh-RANG) is a stiffly beaten mixture of egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. There are two types of meringue; soft and hard. The difference between the two is the amount of sugar added to the egg whites. Soft meringue is made with only a small amount of sugar and is used as a topping for pies and cakes.

This recipe is for a hard meringue which has a larger proportion of sugar to egg whites than a soft meringue. The meringue is placed in a piping bag and piped into various shapes; shells, disks, cookies. They are baked in a slow oven to dry the meringue and you end up with a crisp, crumbly, and delicate meringue. If you make tiny, bite-sized meringues they are called kisses.

To ensure the egg whites reach maximum volume, have your mixing bowl and beaters clean and free of grease. It is easier to separate your eggs while they are cold. Once separated, cover the egg whites and let them come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes). Cover and refrigerate the egg yolks for another use. Superfine sugar makes the best meringues as it dissolves easier in the whites. To make your own, take 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar and process in your food processor until very fine.

Cream of tartar is tartaric acid and is a fine white crystalline acid salt which is a by-product of the wine-making industry. It is used in the whipping of egg whites to stabilize them and allow them to reach maximum volume.


Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) and place racks in upper and lower third of your own. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. You can form the cookies with a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) tip (plain or star), or with two spoons.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on low-medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Note: The meringue is done when it holds stiff peaks and when you rub a little between your thumb and index finger it does not feel gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers.

Before placing the cookies on the cookie sheet, place a little of the meringue on the underside of each corner of the parchment paper. This will prevent the paper from sliding. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) tip. Pipe 2 inch (5 cm) rounds of meringue in rows on the prepared sheets. Alternatively, spoon mounds of meringue, using two spoons, onto the prepared sheets.

Bake the meringues for approximately one hour, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back (about half way through) to ensure even baking. The meringues are done when they are pale ivory in color and firm enough that they can be lifted from the baking sheet without sticking. Test one by removing it from the oven and letting it cool for a few minutes. If dried out enough, the meringue, when broken in half, should be crisp and dry. While you are doing this, leave the other meringues in the oven. The extra drying time won't hurt them. When done, turn off the oven, open the door, and leave the meringues in the oven to dry for a few hours.

Makes about 3 to 4 dozen

Meringue Cookies:

3 large egg whites (3 ounces or 90 grams)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup (150 grams) superfine or castor sugar (if you don't have superfine sugar simply take granulated white sugar and process it for about 30 seconds in a food processor)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Meringue Cookies with Ground Almonds:

Follow the Meringue Cookie recipe but fold in 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) finely ground almonds along with the vanilla extract.

Note: You can sometimes buy ground almonds or make your own. Process 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) sliced (blanched (skins off) or natural (skins on)) almonds along with 1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar in a blender or food processor. Sugar is added to the almonds when ground to prevent clumping as it absorbs the oil exuded from the almonds. If desired, toast the almonds first by baking them in a 350 degree F (177 degree C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool before processing. Toasting the almonds first dries them which also helps to prevent clumping.

On Making Meringue:

- Adding the sugar gradually to the egg whites ensures that the sugar completely dissolves and does not produce a gritty meringue.

- Baking the meringues in a slow oven allows for gradual evaporation of the moisture from the meringues. If the oven temperature is too high, the outside of the meringue will dry and set too quickly. You will end up with the inside of the meringue being chewy and sticky instead of dry, crisp and crunchy. You will also notice the outside of the meringue separates from the inside.

- If your meringue starts to brown, the oven temperature is too high causing the sugar to caramelize. Lower the temperature about 25 degrees F.

- If you make meringues on a rainy or humid day, you will probably have to bake the meringues longer (could be up to 30 minutes more) than on a dry day.

- To prevent cracking of the meringues, do not open the oven door during the first half to three quarters of the baking time.

- In meringues, 1/4 cup (50 grams) of granulated white sugar is generally used for every egg white used. This amount of sugar is needed to give the meringue its crispness.

- Make sure egg whites are at room temperature and free of any specks of egg yolk.

- Use parchment paper or aluminum foil to line baking sheets, not wax paper. The meringue will sometimes stick to wax paper.



S

S

Hi Patty, thanks for your reply. I have made meringue cookies, meringue topping for pie, even pavlova. Seven minute frosting also used to be one of my favoites on my poppy seed chiffon. The reson I stopped making it is because I don't like it when it's not fresh but it is possible that is what was on the cookie. I may give it a try and see. Thanks for all your help.
Jamie

Jamie try this soft buttercream icing made with meringue powder and you can buy it at cake shops, health food store.

Sherry

SOFT BUTTERCREAM FILLING OR ICING

1 cup Granulated sugar
3 tb Meringue powder
2/3 cup Hot water
2 cup Crisco
2 lb Confectioners' sugar
1 tb Creme Bouquet *
Beat granulated sugar, meringue powder and hot water to a stiff peak. Add flavoring & Crisco. Mix on low speed. Add powdered sugar slowly, (1/2 cup at a time) while mixer is running. After all sugar is added; beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.
STRAWBERRY WITH CREAM FILLING Usually when I do a cake for someone who wants fresh strawberries, I suggest we use them for the filling. I clean & slice the strawberries (or chop them) & mix them w/ Bavarian cream which I buy from the local cake supply. For the whipped cream topping

BETTERCREAM whipped topping. It is a thick liquid that comes in milk cartons (from Sugarcraft - NOT BY MAIL... must be frozen when you whip it).

You can get it to whip much thicker than regular whip cream. It's also great for doing decorations & I even know someone who claims to have made roses from it. She has an industrial mixer though & can get it much thicker than I with my little had mixer. I did do a graduation cake that the people wanted to have fresh strawberries on it. Luckily they wanted it done in white & black, so I dipped the strawberries in candy molding chocolate before placing them on the cake. This stopped the "leaking", candy melts come in a variety of colors & white, which you can add color to. Don't use the liquid color from the grocery store, though, because it ruins the candy.

--------------------

Royal Icing and Confectioners Icing

Royal Icing was traditionally used to ice Wedding and Christmas cakes. It consists of powdered (icing or confectioners) sugar, egg whites or meringue powder, and water. (Due to the risk of salmonella the recipe I have given here uses meringue powder, not raw egg whites.) When this pure white icing dries it produces a smooth and glossy hard surface which makes it ideal not only for frosting cakes and cookies, but for intricate piping of decorations (flowers, borders, lettering, etc.). The consistency you need the icing to be will depend on whether you are using the icing for spreading or piping.

The frosting of Sugar, Shortbread, and Gingerbread cookies, to name a few, with royal icing has become very popular in recent years. They are featured in books and magazines and businesses are started based solely on selling decorated cookies wrapped in clever packaging.

A final note on making and using royal icing. Knowing and getting the right consistency for the different applications (spreading or piping) comes through practice. So be patient and make extra cookies to practice with until you get the look you want and feel comfortable with the technique. Your reward will be beautifully decorated and customized cookies that look as good as what you can get at any bakery.

Note: Meringue powder is a fine, white powder used to replace fresh egg whites in royal icing. It contains dried egg whites, sugar, salt, vanillin and gum. When beaten with water and confectioners sugar it has the same consistency as icing made with fresh egg whites.

Note: You can purchase Meringue Powder, gel paste colors, and Glycerin (small 2 ounce bottles) in most cake decorating and party stores (like Michaels). On-line source: Sweet Celebrations (sweetc.com).


Consistency of Royal Icing to Outline Cookies -

First piping a thin line of icing around the outside of a cookie prevents the icing from running off the edge and gives a nice clean look. Have the icing thick enough that it holds its shape when piped through a pastry bag (use a small round tip #2). Add more water or sugar until you have the right consistency and then pipe a border around the edge of the cookie. Let this dry for about 10 minutes and then fill in the cookie with a thinner icing.

Consistency of Royal Icing to Cover Cookies-

To cover or 'flood' the entire surface of the cookie with icing, first test the icing's consistency by lifting your spoon and letting the icing drip back into the bowl. The proper consistency is when the ribbon of icing that falls back into the bowl remains on the surface for about 5 seconds before disappearing. Another way is to take one cookie and place a small amount of icing in the middle of the cookie. Using a small knife or spatula, push the icing to the edge of the cookie. If the icing runs off the edge, thicken the icing by adding a little more confectioners sugar. Do not add too much sugar at once. The right consistency is when the icing spreads smoothly and does not stick to the spatula or leave clumps or streaks on the cookie. Light streaks are alright as they will disappear as the icing dries. This icing will take several hours or overnight to dry completely.

To Decorate Iced Cookies with Raised Lines or Dots -

Once the surface layer of icing has hardened, pipe on lines, dots, etc. using a piping bag with a #2 tip. If desired, sprinkle colored sugars on top of the wet icing for a different effect.

Note: If you do not want the lines or dots, etc. to be raised then pipe the lines or dots onto the surface of the iced cookies before it completely dries so it will partially blend into the first layer of icing.

Royal Icing Using Meringue Powder:

4 cups (440 grams) confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar

3 tablespoons (30 grams) meringue powder (can be found at stores that carry cake decorating supplies)

1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla, lemon, almond) (optional)

1/2 - 3/4 cup (120 - 180 ml) warm water

In bowl of electric mixer beat the confectioners sugar and meringue powder to combine. Add the water and beat at low to medium speed until desired consistency (about 5-7 minutes).

To keep icing soft and shiny add a few drops of glycerin. Color icing using gel pastes by dipping the tip of a toothpick into the food coloring and then mixing it into the icing.

The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover when not in use.

Makes about 3 cups

An alternative to Royal Icing for decorating cookies is:

Confectioners' Icing:

(This icing does not dry as hard as the royal icing but has a nicer flavor.)

4 cups (350 grams) sifted confectioners' sugar

4 tablespoons (80 grams) light corn syrup

4 tablespoons water

In a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, place all the ingredients. Stir until the sugar is melted and smooth (this does not take long). Remove from heat. Color the frosting using food coloring pastes or liquids. If the icing is too thick to spread just add a few drops of water until you have a spreadable consistency.

Makes about 3 cups

Those all sound great, thanks for all the input Patty. I am going to have to try some of those.
Thanks again
Jamie