Simplicity, chaos, but so much love!

found recipe at marthastewart.com

I found this recipe online and thought they would be not only adorable, but practical! Mint helps aid in digestion right!? Well, I found the recipe here and thought it would be an inexpensive treat. So, in following the recipe to a "T", the first batch would not peak! UGH! Wouldn't even get to a somewhat piping consistency! Knowing how temper mental meringue is, I through it out and started over. Take 2....a little better, but still no peaks. I piped anyway into discs and baked at 175 for the 1 hour 40 minutes suggested time, but then turned oven off and left the discs in the oven overnight. The next morning, I made my ganache and filled. The end result:

• Always use room temperature egg whites. While you can separate the egg and yolk while cold, do not start the beating process until the whites are room temp.
• Never use a plastic bowl to beat the egg whites in (plastic can hold not only scents/tastes, but also oils that will be absorbed by egg whites making meringue impossible)! Metal is ideal but glass will usually work as well. Some even recommend warming the bowl before beating the egg whites by running under warm water (but make sure to dry, you do not want ANY droplets of water to ruin the process!)
• If, while separating, you get even the smallest speck of yolk in the whites, START OVER! This is also where I will recommend that you separate each egg individually. So if on your 3rd egg, while separating you break the yolk, you don't ruin the other whites in the bowl! (yeah...I've learned the hard way on that one!).
• Beat eggs until foamy, then ever so slowly add the sugar. If you add it all at once or too quickly, the process will not end as you hope! Ever so gently add the sugar (this is where a stand mixer is so helpful!) Seriously, add 1 teaspoon at a time! It really does help!
• As for meringue cookies, always add the flavoring after the peaks have forms and beat just long enough to distribute flavoring.
• And, leave cookies in oven after they are done baking and the oven has been turned off. This allows them to completely dry out (which is what you want in a meringue cookie!).