Meringue Christmas Trees, a simple and scenic idea to gift for Christmas or as a placeholder during the holiday season. The recipe is very simple and, this year too, I wanted to leave you a unique Christmas idea. Last year it was the Christmas Pavlova, and this year I thought of something smaller and surely quicker to make. I admit meringues are not very simple, but after some attempts with last year’s recipe, I found the foolproof recipe with some tricks to make them. The only difficulty I encountered was using the piping bag, but I am sure you will be better than me. It just takes a little practice, and that’s why, before leaving you the official recipe, I made these Christmas meringues a couple of times.
To decorate these trees, I used sugar sprinkles easily found online. I will leave the link below, among the tools, for you to purchase them, but of course, you can decorate them any other way, unleashing your creativity. For example, if you are chocolate lovers, you can dip the meringues in chocolate melted in the microwave. Now, I believe it’s time to explain the recipe because these meringue Christmas trees will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other Christmas dessert recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 2 Hours
- Portions: 13 Pieces
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year
- Energy 29.16 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.11 (g) of which sugars 7.02 (g)
- Proteins 0.35 (g)
- Fat 0.02 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 0.00 (g)
- Sodium 6.19 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 8 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.76 oz egg whites
- 1.76 oz powdered sugar
- 1.76 oz granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- sprinkles (Christmas as needed)
Tools
- Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Piping Bag
Steps
First, remove the eggs from the refrigerator a couple of hours before making the recipe. They need to be at room temperature. Separate the yolks from the egg whites and transfer the latter into the bowl of the stand mixer. Alternatively, you can use an electric beater. Start beating the egg whites at low speed and, as soon as they begin to foam, add the lemon juice. This ingredient, together with the starch contained in the powdered sugar that will be added later, will help give structure to the whipped mass.
Increase the speed and work these two ingredients with the mixer or an electric beater for a couple of minutes. Then add the granulated sugar. Do this operation in 3 or 4 batches, adding the sugar little by little. Wait a couple of minutes before adding the next portion of sugar. Granulated sugar takes a few minutes to dissolve. It’s a time-consuming operation, but you will be rewarded with the result.
Now also add the powdered sugar in the same manner as the granulated sugar and continue to whip the ingredients for several minutes at high speed. The egg whites will be well beaten when you obtain a frothy and shiny mass. To verify that they are beaten correctly, you can detach the whisks from the mixture. When lifted, they should make a peak with a tip.
Now all you have to do is transfer everything into a piping bag with a star tip. Place the parchment paper on a slightly moistened baking sheet with water. This will help keep the sheet in place. Then form peaks of 1.18 inches in diameter, well spaced from each other. Alternatively, you can form flat trees on the parchment paper. I, the first time I experimented, made them both ways. They are very nice and easy in both ways, it’s up to you to choose how to make them based on your preference. Then let the sprinkles fall like rain to form the typical Christmas decorations of the tree.
Bake in a preheated oven at 230°F with static function for 2 hours. After the cooking time, slightly open the oven and let the meringues cool completely. They will be well-cooked if they easily detach from the parchment paper and are light. The French meringues are ready! Enjoy them as they are, or use them to make semifreddo desserts.
Storage and Tips for Meringue Christmas Trees
Meringue Christmas trees can be prepared in advance and stored in a cool, dry place for 3 or 4 days, covered by a glass dome.
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FAQ Questions and Answers for Meringue Christmas Trees
Why not add a pinch of salt?
Although initially, the foam beats more easily with the addition of a pinch of salt, this actually destabilizes the structure of the meringues and consequently deflates them.
How do I know if the meringues are cooked?
You should try to detach them from the parchment paper. If they come off easily, they are cooked. If they resist, then you need to continue cooking.
Why don’t the egg whites whip up?
First, check that there are no traces of grease or fat in the bowl where you are whipping the egg whites. Also, make sure there are no traces of yolk in the egg whites. Yolks are rich in fat and prevent the egg whites from whipping correctly.
