First, let me start this blog by saying this recipe gave me no joy.  That’s a cold statement, but given my disdain for meringue, it’s not surprising. When I saw the recipe called for this stubborn element, I wanted to skip it altogether and hope you understood. However, I tried it anyway. And just like usual; it disappointed. I find the sheer time this recipe calls for is not worth it. Granted, a lot of the time is spent slow heating in the oven, but still, it commands your attention.  

Let’s Get Going

Meringue has a mind of its own. It decides if it will let you make it. It decides if you are worthy of its taste. I say taste in a manner of half-respect, as I have yet to taste a meringue that was palatable. It’s a difficult baking task to master, and one I have not perfected. As I write this, I am thinking meringue is MY issue, not vice versa. Hmm, I just saved myself a lot of money in therapy. Can I just say, I looked ahead to see if there were any more meringue recipes for the 2022 challenge, and thankfully, no.  

Suffice it to say, I did not master it again. I have decided to skip the part where I talked about gathering the ingredients and combining solids and liquids. Let’s just get to the part where I prepared the cookies and started the meringue. I should stop and say there was a raspberry allergy in our home, so I substituted it with strawberries. Strawberries have a high water content, so using them in the meringue did not work. I just left it out but did use a little bit of food coloring and tiny sugar crystals to give it color and a bit of texture. That probably prevented the meringue from forming correctly. I also substituted strawberry preserves for raspberries. The rest of the cookie was not bad at all, actually quite tasty.  

The Results

After removing the strawberries, I prepared the meringue, which proceeded to dry like noon in the desert. Tasted like it too. I ended up using it, but only for show. To eat the cookie, I had to remove the meringue. One bite and it “poofed” into powder!

My final thoughts are simply these: I fly my white apron of surrender! I will run with terror from anything meringue again. I am accepting my shortcomings and wish you all happy baking!

Let me know how you did with this month’s challenge. Be sure to tag @southernfamilydecor on social media if you post. I’d love to see your pics! If you would like to join us on this challenge, you can do so, here. When you sign-up, you will receive a guide with all of the Cookie Challenges at a glance, and tablescape ideas with each month’s theme.