These might not look like leftovers, but they are! This is what I made with the leftover egg whites and pastry cream from my danish making adventure. For a while I thought about using the egg whites to make something healthy like an egg white omelet, but then I’d still have pastry cream leftover and continuing to eat it with a spoon didn’t seem like the best possible use for it. I also thought of trying to make macarons again but I just didn’t have the energy for failure. When I decide to make macarons again I’m determined to go at it gangbusters style. You know my motto, go big or go home and today I wasn’t prepared to go big. So I wimped out and went for what was supposed to be simple meringues. I still managed to mess them up. I have not yet mastered the art of whipping egg whites. I never know how far to go or when to stop. I suspect today that I did not whip them enough. I also fear over-mixing the dry ingredients into the egg whites and as a result I under-mix them. Today was no exception there either. But despite my meringue ineptitude it still produced some pretty good cookies, especially after I sandwiched them together with pastry cream. And that my friends, is how leftover egg whites and pastry cream avoided a slow and painful death in the back of the fridge and rose to new heights in a meringue sandwich cookie.
These cookies, which I’m dubbing Leftover Danish Sandwich cookies are my submission to the third round of Leftover Tuesdays which is being hosted by Megan of What’s Cooking and was started by David of Cooking Chat. Hurrah for tasty leftovers!
Leftover Danish Sandwich cookies (Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Melting Chocolate Meringues)
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 egg whites
2/8 tsp cream of tartar
¾ tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar (generous)
1 package cappuccino mix (individual serving)
Preheat oven to 350F.
Melt the chocolate, and set aside.
In a large bowl whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and cappuccino mix and whip till the peaks are stiff, but not dry. Fold in the melted chocolate.
Drop by rounded teaspoon on a silpat lined cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes. Leave on the baking sheet to cool.
Eat them. Enjoy them. Delicious.
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Meringue + Cookies + Leftovers +
13 comments:
Having just discovered a container in my fridge with a surprisingly large amount of leftover egg whites in it, this recipe seems to be in my future. The cookie is just a vehicle for pastry cream, am I right?
Great idea. I never know what to do with leftover egg whites, and often I end up throwing them out (gasp!). I'll try these cookies next time.
That's the kind of leftover I wish I had in my fridge. :)
Brilynn,
You are the Queen of food blog events. How in the world do you keep them all straight and maintain any semblance of life as well? You are amazing!
You always make such great leftovers!
I went through several mini wars with meringues myself.. I finally conquered that f'n egg white - but it wasn't a huge victory as every time I think about making them again, I find something else to do.. like scheduling root canal.
BUT
These lil guys look so damn good that I might warm up the mixer again to try them. =)
Why can't I make leftovers that look like that?
Those are leftovers?! Wow.
A good way to get your egg whites to stay really firm is to mix the egg whites with the sugar first and heat them up in a bowl over a skillet with boling water (the traditional bain marie) and beat them with a mixer until they are quite fluffy. You take them out of the heat and keep beating until the mixture has cooled down and is incredibly firm. This method is called swiss meringue.
Then there´s also the Italain meringue, but I find that one a bit more boring with the hot syrup step and all.
There I was, trying to explain egg whites, when there was someone as knowledgeable as Shuna from Eggbeater doing a much better job.
Go check it out, it´s a recipe for Pavlova, another perfect way to use egg whites:
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/004356pavlova.php
so clever .... i too would've just steamed them or used them as a face pack hehe ! not very pretty in shape but i tell they they look bloody delicious !
Kristen- I'm a nerd and I mark them on a calender!
Freya and Paul- I would have a hard time believing you make anything less than amazing!
Marce- Thanks, I'll have to print this out and clue it to the fridge for next time I'm making meringue.
These look so good. I mean - so good. I love pastry cream, and will definitely give these a try. My leftover recipe for Leftover Tuesdays involves leftover Oatmeal - hardly on the same level as this!
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