Sending Cookie Kisses

Delish Pecan Nut Kisses were a big hit at Muse Cottage

I have always been afraid of making Meringue cookies, so when I read this recipe this bakers belly started to churn a little bit. I swallowed the lump in my throat in the name of baking bravery and decided to give it a whirl. The recipe is very simple, and not a lot of ingredients, and all of which I had on hand. but I did hit a few snags, a few bumps and without any photos and only the name I feel I fell a bit flat with my first attempt.  Sitting back and eating the crisp, yet chewy, nutty brown sugar goodness as I type this out, I can tell you that taste wise, it does not matter if they are perfect or not! I am not sure I am over my fear of making them, and I can look back and see what I may have done wrong, where I made a mistake that made the cookies, at least in their appearance, fall a bit flat. 

So confessions, just to help you out. I completely failed to remember that if you want to make Meringues, a metal or glass bowl is best, NOT plastic! Ignoring this will cause it to take forever to reach the stiff peak stage and the dough/batter may never get to the ultimate point you want it ( where if you turn the bowl upside down it will not fall on your head) , so that was my first mistake and the next is that unless you want to get arm cramps and you have a second person to help you out, a stand mixer is your best friend with making this cookie. I managed with a hand mixer, but let me tell you I was using some choice words along the way. nearly giving up. If you remember those two things you will nail this cookie, and if you don't well the cookie will still be pretty, tasty and you will have a ery sore arm/shoulder. So let's get started....

Egg whites beaten until frothy

Add the brown sugar slowly, beating
continually, if possible, until
stiff peaks appear...this is where
that stand mixer, a metal or
glass bowl and a friend if you
do not have those things come in handy.

This was about stiff as I could get
them, so they did not form the
future kiss shape the is implied in the
name of the recipe.

Once you have beaten the egg whites
and sugar within an inch of it's life.
fold in the salt and pecans. 

So I was so tired I forgot to take this photo
until the last batch..so that is what
 the beige marks on my parchment paper are...
I just used blank spots each time I did a new batch.
The minute I put the allotted batter on the
sheet it spread like this ..*sigh* 

12 to 13 minutes seems to be the
magic number with all these recipes
after that this is what they turn out
like, they may not be kisses, but the
crackle top is rather pretty. 

Somehow I always end up with tasty cookies
no  matter what, and so I urge you to take the leap
into the baking world if you haven't already.

Sending cookie love your way from Muse Cottage