CHEWY FRUITCAKE MERINGUES

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Chewy Fruitcake Meringues image

Light-as-a-feather on the outside and chewy on the inside, these meringue snowballs take their flavor cues from a holiday classic: fruitcake. The heavenly cookies are studded with Luxardo cherries, dried pineapple, candied citrus, and buttery hazelnuts.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Dessert & Treats Recipes     Cookie Recipes

Time 3h50m

Yield Makes about 30

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts
3 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 cup best-quality maraschino cherries, such as Luxardo, chopped, plus 3 tablespoons syrup
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
1/4 cup chopped candied citron
1/4 cup chopped candied citrus peel, such as orange or clementine
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly; chop.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees. Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a mixer set over a pot of simmering water (do not let bottom touch water). Whisk until eggs are foamy and sugar dissolves (mixture should feel smooth and warm to the touch when rubbed between your fingers). Transfer to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add cream of tartar, and beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, 7 to 9 minutes.
  • Combine hazelnuts, fruits, and candied citron and peel in a bowl. Fold maraschino syrup and all but 1/4 cup of fruit-nut mixture into meringue. Drop heaping tablespoons of meringue mixture onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Top with remaining fruit-nut mixture.
  • Bake, rotating sheets and rack positions halfway through, until meringues have darkened slightly and are tacky on surfaces but no longer sticky, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Turn oven off (do not open door); let cool in oven until dry and crisp on outsides, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature, between sheets of parchment, up to 5 days. Lightly dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

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