meringue mushrooms

These adorable meringue mushrooms are great to decorate cakes and desserts or as a beautiful addition for your dinner table. They are really not difficult to make and can be stored in an airtight container for several days.

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Preparation for about 16 mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 80°C, line 2 baking sheets with parchment papers

• 2 egg whites, at room temperature
• 160 g sugar
• cocoa powder

Place the egg whites and the sugar into a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

When the mixture reaches about 50°C, take if off the heat and continue mixing for about 5 minutes, until the meringue cool down. The whipped egg white will be very stiff and glossy.

Put the mixture into a piping bag.

To make the mushroom bases, pipe pear or cone shape meringues onto one baking sheet. Bake the bases for about 15 minutes on the lowest part of the oven.

On the second baking sheet, pipe rounds to make the mushroom caps. Dust the caps with some cocoa powder and blow gently to distribute the remaining cocoa powder. Bake the caps for about 10 minutes on the lowest part of the oven.

With a small sharp knife, make a small hole in the middle of the underside of each mushroom cap and gently press the top of the base into the hole.

Place the mushrooms, caps down on the baking sheet and return it to the oven for about 1 hour.

Happy baking!