She Strengthens

Meringue Magic: Create Realistic Mushroom Garnishes for Your Holiday Desserts

Get Ready to Wow Your Guests

These adorable meringue mushrooms are so realistic, they’ll be the talk of your holiday gathering. With a light dusting of cocoa powder, they’re almost indistinguishable from the real thing. But don’t worry, they’re much sweeter!

Gather Your Ingredients and Equipment

To create these edible wonders, you’ll need:

• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• A 12- to 18-inch pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round piping tip

Prepare Your Meringue

Heat your oven to 200°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a clean, dry bowl, whisk together the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup of sugar, whisking until stiff peaks form. Fold in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.

Pipe Your Mushrooms

Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe half of the meringue into pointed “kisses” about 1 inch high to make the stems. Pipe the remaining meringue into domes to make mushroom caps. Make sure you have an equal number of stems and caps.

Add a Realistic Touch

Lightly dust the stems and caps with cocoa powder through a fine-mesh strainer. Fan or blow on the cocoa powder vigorously to blur it and give the mushrooms a realistic look.

Bake and Assemble

Bake the meringues for about 2 hours, rotating the sheets halfway through. Let them cool completely. To assemble, melt the chocolate in a small bowl set over barely simmering water. Cut the tips of the stems to create a flat surface, then attach the stems to the mushroom caps using the melted chocolate.

Tips and Variations

To create Coffee Meringue Mushrooms, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder into the sugar that’s gradually beaten into the egg whites. For Chestnut Meringue Mushrooms, mix 3 tablespoons chestnut flour with the sugar that’s folded in at the end.

Store and Enjoy

Store your meringue mushrooms at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. They’re perfect for topping your holiday desserts, from yule log cakes to ice cream sundaes. Get creative and enjoy!