By KIM M. SIMONS
“Who’s your favorite artist?” I’m often asked.
“Mother Nature,” is my inevitable reply.
I am constantly amazed by what surrounds us in the outdoors. The variety of life is endless. I never want to reach a point where I take Mother Nature for granted.
At this time of year, of course, it’s her flowers that grab my attention.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t smile when flowers begin to appear after a long winter. The colors and fragrances make everything feel renewed.
Because of their beauty, it’s only natural that flowers have symbolic value as well.
According to Encyclopedia.com, “From new life to death, from purity to passion, flowers have had many meanings in myths and legends. Swelling from tender bud to full bloom, flowers are associated with youth, beauty and pleasure. But as they wilt and die, flowers represent fragility and the swift passage from life into death” (“Flowers in Mythology,” www.encyclopedia.com).
That’s why I thought this project would be perfect for this summer. And what better way to create edible flowers than with meringue?
Like a flower, meringue is light. Like a flower, meringue can be truly fragrant. And meringue can be colored brightly with edible ingredients to look almost as beautiful as its natural counterpart.
Because my husband is into such things, I did some quick research on the history of meringue. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “The invention of meringue in 1720 is attributed to a Swiss pastry cook named Gasparini. Meringues are eaten as small ‘kisses’ or as cases and toppings for fruits, ice cream, puddings and the like. Shapes are piped onto a baking sheet through a pastry bag and dried out thoroughly in a slow oven” (“Meringue,” www.britannica.com).
What matters to me is how easy meringue is to work with and how colorful the results can be.
Once completed, your Meringue Flower Cookies can be used to garnish a cake, or they can stand alone as individual treats. As always, feel free to experiment with your own choices of shapes and colors—just as Mother Nature would want you to!
Separate egg whites from yolks, and pour whites into a small bowl.
Combine egg whites and sugar with a whisk. Use a mixer until the batter becomes a stiff peak.
Add edible food colors to the meringue and mix.
Scoop meringue into piping bags with the piping tips of your choice.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 with other edible colors of your choice.
Pipe the meringue out onto a cookie sheet cover with parchment paper in flower patterns.
Add a lollipop stick to each flower.
Use differently-colored meringues to create your flowers however you wish.
Bake the meringue flowers at 225 F for one (1) hour.
Turn the oven off and open the door, but leave the flowers in; let them cool at least 1-2 hours (but, preferably, overnight).
Kim M. Simons is an award-winning artist, food artist and cake artist. She and her team—The Bah Hum Bakers—were crowned champions of Food Network’s “Holiday Wars” in December 2019. More recently, Kim competed on Food Network’s “Cakealikes,” which can be streamed on Discovery-plus. Kim’s cookbook of gluten-free recipes—“Get All Cook-Y With Kim”—can be purchased on Amazon.com.
The Link LonkMay 26, 2021 at 10:41PM
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Make these beautiful meringue flower cookies - The River Reporter
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