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Not getting to eat grains, hence no pies or cakes in the traditional sense, I am always looking for new dessert recipes. One day I had lemons that needed to be used and found something that sounded very yummy - Lemon Pecan Meringue Cookies - courtesy of Panera. I did make one change (as I usually do). Hope you enjoy them, too! Be very careful, though, they are very addicting!
Ingredients (I usually double the recipe)
- ½ cup pecans, measure first, then chop
- 3 egg whites, at room temperature
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1½ teaspoon tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Set oven to 350º. While the oven is heating up, zest the lemon and mix the tapioca with the sugar and line 2 medium baking sheets with parchment paper
2. If the pecans are not already toasted, place unchopped pecans on baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. After toasting pecans, reduce oven temperature to 200ºF. When the pecans are cooled, chop finely.
2. Put egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean bowl. I used a hand mixer, so if you use a standing electric mixer, place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl. If using a hand mixer, use highest speed, with stand mixer beat on medium speed until whites form soft peaks when beaters are lifted, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually add sugar mixture, beating until whites hold stiff peaks when beaters are lifted, 3 to 4 minutes more. Fold in toasted nuts, lemon zest, and vanilla.
3. Spoon meringue into a large ziplock bag, cut off a 1/4" - 1/2" piece of a corner, and squeeze meringue into 1- 1 1/2 inch rounds on the baking sheets. The cookies can be placed close together as they don't rise.
4. Bake without opening the oven door for at least 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let meringues sit in the oven until cool, at least 1 hour or as long as overnight (you can turn off the oven just before going to bed and let the cookies cool in there until morning).
5. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for about a day. The cookies will keep longest if the humidity is low. They also freeze wonderfully!
Makes about 40 cookies (the original recipe states it should make 60 cookies, but 40 is the most I've been able to get).
TIP: Avoid making meringue cookies on a humid or wet day because the moisture in the air will be absorbed by the meringue and make the cookies sticky.
Experiment, but most of all - Have Fun!
