Meringue Mushrooms Recipe – French, Italian Special

Whip the egg whites until foamy.

Add the salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract.

Continue whipping until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the granulated sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.

Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a large, round tip.

Pipe small mounds for the mushroom tops onto a parchment-covered tray.

On a separate tray, pipe small pillars for the mushroom stems by squeezing the bag and lifting it slowly upward.

Gently smooth the tops of the mushroom caps with a damp finger.

Bake in a low-heat oven for 45-55 minutes.

Use a serrated knife to trim the pointy tips from the baked stems to create a flat surface.

Melt chocolate and spread a small amount on the bottom of each mushroom top.

Attach the smooth side of the stems into the chocolate-covered bottoms of the mushroom tops. Allow assembled mushrooms to firm up before serving.

(Optional) Lightly dust the chocolate bottoms with confectioner’s sugar for added texture.

For quick firming, refrigerate the mushrooms.

These meringue mushrooms are perfect for decorating holiday Bûche de Noël (yule logs).