Meringue Cookie Recipe

Meringue Cookie Recipe

These meringue cookies will make any dessert table just stunning.  The recipe is simple. You’ll need a box of Angel Bake Swiss Buttercream Mix, food coloring and flavoring. See a few suggestions below.

  • Add 80 grams of sugar to the mix.
  • Add 3 OZ hot water.
  • Whip until Meringue is stiff.
  • Separate into three equal parts.
  • Add flavoring/extract, nuts, dried fruit bits, zest, food coloring of your choice.  Fold until mix and color is incorporated to your liking. 
  • Scoop onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Use two spoons. 
  • Bake at 300 degrees for 30 mins, turn oven off and leave in the oven for 2 hours before removing.
  • Flavor ideas: lemon, rose, orange, lavender, coffee, espresso, raspberry, almond, chocolate, extracts or various liquors.
  • liquid flavoring and liquors can be whipped in at any time. Others, such as nuts are best folded into the meringue. If food coloring is added to the water cookie color will be consistent. If it is added after meringue is stiff, you can get swirls.

Making Great Tasting Buttercream

Making Great Tasting Buttercream

Making Swiss Buttercream is a trying undertaking.  You have to mix egg whites on a steam bath to just the right temp.  Go over and you have cooked eggs and stay under and you run the risk of having live bacteria in your cream.   The Angel Bake Swiss buttercream mix uses pasteurized egg whites.  To make it, you simply whip the mix with 1/2 cup of hot water to make a glorious meringue.  No need to steam up the whole kitchen!  You can use the meringue as is for pie topping or making meringue cookies.  To make buttercream, just add soft unsalted butter and whip to a shiny creamy consistency.  Feel free to vary the amount of butter to your liking.   To make dairy free icing or buttercream, just use dairy free butter alternatives. 

You can add just about any sort of additive to flavor your buttercream.   Things like liquors, espresso, cocoa, nuts, jams, fruits, food coloring, and or flavoring extracts.   See below for inspiration.   For coloring  your buttercream, we recommend the Angel Bake Powdered food coloring set. 

The Angel Bake Swiss Buttercream mix doesn’t have any corn starch (so no chalky aftertaste),  preservatives, hydrogenated oils, and is gluten free.  Please compare ingredients before you purchase.

 

Buttercream Flavoring Suggestions

Buttercream

Food Coloring

Flavoring
Banana Yellow 1 mashed banana+1 teaspoon of lemon juice+1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Butter Scotch None 1-2 teaspoon Butterscotch flavoring
Cappuccino None 2 Tablespoon instant espresso coffee
Caramel/salted None 1-2 teaspoon caramel flavoring and a sprinkle of sea salt
Cherry Red + small amount of blue 1/4 cup Maraschino cherry juice+ 6-8 Maraschino cherries(diced)
Chocolate Brown 2-4 tablespoon cocoa powder and/or a teaspoon chocolate flavoring
Cinnamon Brown 1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
Coconut None 2-3 tablespoon dried unsweetened toasted coconut flakes
Coffee/Espresso Brown 1-2 teaspoon instant espresso powder and/or coffee flavoring
Cream cheese None 2-4 tablespoon soft cream cheese
Ganache None 2-4 Tablespoon of chocolate ganache
Gum Any or none. 1-2 teaspoon Bubble gum flavoring
Lavender Purple 1 teaspoon lavender extract
Lemon Yellow 1 teaspoon of lemon extract (or lemon juice and zest)
Macadamia – Vanilla None 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract
Macha tea Green 1 tablespoon matcha powder
Marzipan None 2-4 tablespoon marzipan paste
Mascarpone None 1-2 tablespoon mascarpone cheese
Mint/Peppermint Green 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Mocha None 1-2 tablespoon Cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon coffee extract or Espresso.
Nutella Brown 2-4 tablespoon of Nutella
Orange Orange 1 teaspoon orange extract
Peanut butter Brown 1-2 tablespoon peanut butter
Pistachio Green 2-4 tablespoon of pistachio flour
Raspberry Red + small amount of blue 1 teaspoon raspberry extract and/or 2-4 tablespoon raspberry puree
Strawberry 1 drop of red 1 teaspoon of strawberry extract, puree, jam or fresh.
Vanilla None 1-2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla paste
White Chocolate None 1 teaspoon melted white chocolate

Liquor infusions

 

1-2 teaspoon of the liqueur of your choice
Baileys Brown 1-2 teaspoon Baileys Irish cream
Frangelico None 3 Tablespoon Frangelico+ 2 Tablespoon hot coffee
Grand Marnier Yellow + brown 1-2 teaspoon Grand Marnier liqueur
Irish Cream None 1-2 teaspoon Irish cream liqueur
Kahlua Brown 1-2 teaspoon Kahlua liqueur
Rum Yellow + brown 1-2 teaspoon of Rum or Amaretto

Swiss Buttercream Recipe

Swiss Buttercream Recipe

Swiss Buttercream Recipe Using Angel Bake Buttercream Mix

French Macarons are traditionally filled with Swiss buttercream.  The Angel Bake Swiss Buttercream mix is an easy to prepare, versatile meringue base that can be used in many applications in addition to French Macarons.

Ingredients:
  • A box of Angel Bake Swiss Buttercream Mix.
  • 4 OZ hot water. 120 grams.  Half a cup.  160 ‘F
  • 2 sticks of soft room temperature (soft) unsalted butter.
Directions:
  • In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, *hot* water to buttercream mix.  Accurate water measurement is important.  Use a measuring cup or a kitchen scale.
  • Whip on high speed until meringue is stiff and shiny.  Roughly 4-5 minutes.
  • Gradually whip in two sticks of room temp soft unsalted butter (1/4 – 1/2 of a stick at a time).
  • Whip for 2-3 minutes on high speed, until the mixture is silky and smooth.
  • Additional food flavoring/extracts (i.e. vanilla, rose, lavender, chocolate, lemon, orange, almond, peppermint), powdered food coloring, jam, cocoa, espresso(coffee extract), nut flour, curds, or liqueur may be added at this stage.  Whip 30 seconds more to incorporate.
  • This buttercream is perfect filling for French Macarons, decorating cakes and cupcakes.  Its also a perfect match for waffles, pancakes, and toast.
  • Buttercream can be kept for 1 week in the refrigerator and longer if frozen.  Thaw to room temperature before using.  You will need to whip the buttercream to reconstitute it back to desired consistency.
  •  The following post has flavoring ideas.
  • We recommend Angel Bake Extracts for flavoring your buttercream and Angel Bake powdered food coloring for coloring your buttercream.
  •  You an use the Meringue for just about any recipe requiring meringue.  Use it as a pie topping, torch and bake as you’d like.  Try our meringue cookie guide.
  • Most meringue base products contain corn starch, and a number of stabilizers which produce a chalky feel, medicine like after taste.  We’ve steered clear of them, and we are pleased for having done so.

Chocolate Flavored French Macaron Recipe

Chocolate Flavored French Macaron Recipe

Chocolate Flavored French Macaron with Cocoa Swiss Buttercream Recipe

To make chocolate flavored French macarons, simply add a small amount of brown food coloring and chocolate extract (and/or cocoa powder) to the macaron mix, add water, whip as instructed, pipe and bake per instruction on the box.

Ingredients:
Directions:
  • Watch related video here
  • Prepare three baking trays lined with Silicon Mat (we don’t recommend parchment paper).
  • Set oven to 280 ºF for convection bake settings or to 300 ºF for conventional bake.
  • Add cocoa powder and 2 oz warm water (122 ºF) to Macaron mix.  Mix at low speed for 1 minute, then medium speed for 3 minutes.  If using electric hand mixer, whip the mixture in a deep bowl for 3.5 minutes using the slowest settings.
  • Place a round pastry tip in a disposable pastry bag, cut the tip. Place it in a tall plastic jar or a glass, and fold over the edge. Pour batter into the pastry bag.
  • Using guides on your silicon mat, pipe the batter in 1 – 1.25 inch circles. Tap each tray on a hard surface a few times to remove any air bubbles and flatten cookie surface.  Cookies will expand to 1.75 inches when you tap the tray (they will fill the silicon mat guide when flattened).
  •  If oven is set to “bake”,  let cookies rest for at least 15 minutes or until the surface is dry to touch.  Bake for 15 minutes.
  • If using “convection bake” settings, there is no need to dry the batter as the hot air movement created by the convection fan dries the surface very quickly before batter starts to rise.  Bake for 20 minutes.
  • While shells are baking,  whip up the buttercream:
    • Add 2 oz hot water (160 ºF- same temp as when making tea or coffee) to the mix.
    • Whisk at high speed for 3-4 minutes until meringue is stiff.
    • Add brown food coloring, cocoa, and or chocolate flavoring (optional).
    • Gradually whip in 1.25 sticks of soft unsalted butter.  Avoid using cold butter.  Whip until the mixture is silky and smooth.
  • Remove trays from oven.  Let shells cool down completely before removing them from trays.
  • Garnish with buttercream and assemble.  Again, make sure shells are cool.

Flavoring note:  Some bakers prefer coloring the shells and simply flavor the buttercream only.  Feel free to experiment.  Chocolate and lavender or chocolate and mint are great combinations.  For instance chocolate shells with a mint flavored buttercream would make a great combination.

When adding dry content to the macaron mix (such as cocoa in this recipe), it is a good idea to remove the same amount of mix so the to total dry content remains the same.

 

Helpful hints

Helpful hints

First time bakers please watch our video instructions.
Common mistakes

  • Inaccurate water measurement.

  • Greasy bowl or tools.

  • Depositing shells too close to one another or directly on a tray without cookie sheets or silicone tray liner. 

What is the baking process?  Each carton contains a package of  our single step macaron baking mix as well as a tasty Swiss buttercream filling mix. All you need is a stand or handheld electric mixer.   Simply add water, mix, pipe and bake to make the macaron cookie shells.  The buttercream is almost as simple:  add hot water, whip to make stiff meringue, fold in room temp unsalted butter and whip.   Food coloring and flavoring can be added at any time.   

Baking instructions for the shells:  

  • Empty cookie mix into mixer bowl & add food coloring.
  • Add 2 ounces (1/4 cup) water at 122°F (include any flavoring).
  • Mix at low speed for 1 minute, then 3 minutes at medium speed.
  • Pipe in 1 inch rounds. Recommend using silicone tray liner.
  • Tap tray to flatten (this step is optional)
  • Let rounds rest for 15 minutes, bake at 300°F for 15-16 minutes.
  • Let cookies rest and cool down completely before handling.

What is in the box?  Buttercream mix and Macaron Baking mix.  Your macaron shells will be cream in color.  A variety of color and flavor variations are possible.  We recommend the Angel Bake powdered food coloring set for best results.  

How many cookies can I bake?    Twenty four 1.75-2 inch macrons.  Addition of food coloring and flavoring is not necessary.  Product tastes and looks great as is.

Is the product certified and tested to be gluten free?  Yes.  Our factory maintains a gluten free process and production samples are tested by an independent lab.  We’ve avoided using chemical preservatives, fillers, anti clumping agents, flavorings or coloring.  This mix contains less sugar than most recipes call for, hence it is less crusty/brittle and definitely not as sweet as traditional recipes.

What equipment do I need?    Stand mixer (recommended) with whisk attachment to make the buttercream, paddle attachment for the shells, pastry bag with a ¼ inch tip, two baking trays lined with double layered baking sheets or silicon mat.   Hand mixer instruction are on the box as well.

What is meant by “firm” peaks?  Meringue can be whipped to a soft, firm or stiff consistency.  When soft, meringue barely holds its shape when whisk is lifted, a firm peak holds it’s shape but curls down when whisk is held upwards.  Stiff Meringue holds shape and doesn’t curl when whisk is lifted.

How do I measure water precisely?   Use a digital scale.  60 grams or 2 ounces.

How do I measure water temp and why does it need to be at 122°F?  The best way to measure the water temp is to use a digital meat thermometer.   Measure temp while the water is being heated.  Stop at around 122.  The Angel Bake Macaron mix uses an “all in” mix approach.  As such, it contains egg whites and the best temp to hydrate powdered egg whites is 122°F 

Oven baking considerations:  Heat oven to 330 and back down to 300 after loading in trays. 

Why did my shells crack or mushroom?  Batter was too moist and the surface hadn’t dried enough to be baked in a conventional oven.  This will not happen with convection oven as the circulating air will quickly dry out the surface.

Shelf life?  The mix has a two year shelf life from the date of manufacturing.   Baked shells can be kept in a refrigerator for 10 days without changing taste and texture.  Shells can be frozen for several months.  Enjoy your macarons at room temp.  This can take 1-2 hours. 

Do I need to add any flavoring?  The shells taste great without flavoring.  In general, buttercream flavoring filling is adequate. 

Can I bake multiple trays at once? Yes,  two trays center and top shelf.  Swap tray positions partway through is a good idea.

First time bakers please watch our video instructions.
Common mistakes

  • Inaccurate water measurement.

  • Greasy bowl or tools.

  • Depositing shells too close to one another or directly on a tray without cookie sheets or silicone tray liner. 

What is the baking process?  Each package contains a package of  our single step macaron baking mix as well as a tasty Swiss buttercream filling mix. All you need is a stand or handheld electric mixer.   Simply add water, mix, pipe and bake to make the macaron cookie shells.  The buttercream is almost as simple:  add hot water, whip to make stiff meringue, fold in room temp unsalted butter and whip.   Food coloring and flavoring can be added at any time.   

Baking instructions for the shells:  

  • Empty cookie mix into mixer bowl & add food coloring.
  • Add 2 ounces (1/4 cup) water at 122°F (include any flavoring).
  • Mix at low speed for 1 minute, then 3 minutes at medium speed.
  • Pipe in 1 inch rounds. Recommend using silicone tray liner.
  • Tap tray to flatten (this step is optional)
  • Let rounds rest for 15 minutes, bake at 300°F for 15-16 minutes.
  • Let cookies rest and cool down completely before handling.

What is in the box?  Buttercream mix and Macaron Baking mix.  Your macaron shells will be cream in color.  A variety of color and flavor variations are possible.  We recommend the Angel Bake powdered food coloring set for best results.  

How many cookies can I bake?    Twenty four 1.75-2 inch macrons.  Addition of food coloring and flavoring is not necessary.  Product tastes and looks great as is.

Is the product certified and tested to be gluten free?  Yes.  Our factory maintains a gluten free process and production samples are tested by an independent lab.  We’ve avoided using chemical preservatives, fillers, anti clumping agents, flavorings or coloring.  This mix contains less sugar than most recipes call for, hence it is less crusty/brittle and definitely not as sweet as traditional recipes.

What equipment do I need?    Stand mixer (recommended) with whisk attachment to make the buttercream, paddle attachment for the shells, pastry bag with a ¼ inch tip, two baking trays lined with double layered baking sheets or silicon mat.   Hand mixer instruction are on the box as well.

What is meant by “firm” peaks?  Meringue can be whipped to a soft, firm or stiff consistency.  When soft, meringue barely holds its shape when whisk is lifted, a firm peak holds it’s shape but curls down when whisk is held upwards.  Stiff Meringue holds shape and doesn’t curl when whisk is lifted.

How do I measure water precisely?   Use a digital scale.  60 grams or 2 ounces.

How do I measure water temp and why does it need to be at 122°F?  The best way to measure the water temp is to use a digital meat thermometer.   Measure temp while the water is being heated.  Stop at around 122.  The Angel Bake Macaron mix uses an “all in” mix approach.  As such, it contains egg whites and the best temp to hydrate powdered egg whites is 122°F 

Oven baking considerations:  Heat oven to 330 and back down to 300 after loading in trays. 

Why did my shells crack or mushroom?  Batter was too moist and the surface hadn’t dried enough to be baked in a conventional oven.  This will not happen with convection oven as the circulating air will quickly dry out the surface.

Shelf life?  The mix has a two year shelf life from the date of manufacturing.   Baked shells can be kept in a refrigerator for 10 days without changing taste and texture.  Shells can be frozen for several months.  Enjoy your macarons at room temp.  This can take 1-2 hours. 

Do I need to add any flavoring?  The shells taste great without flavoring.  In general, buttercream flavoring filling is adequate. 

Can I bake multiple trays at once? Yes,  two trays center and top shelf.  Swap tray positions partway through is a good idea.