Light and crunchy hazelnut meringues
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1ml kosher salt, finely ground
- 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 210g (1 cup) castor sugar
- 125g chocolate chips
- 200g blanched hazelnuts
- edible gold leaf, torn into small pieces, to decorate
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 140°C. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper.
Beat the egg whites in a large bowl using an electric mixer until frothy. Add the salt and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla, then the castor sugar a few tablespoons ata time, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips, followed by the hazelnuts, taking care not to deflate the meringue mixture.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the prepared baking trays, spacing them about 4cm apart.
Bake for 45 minutes, then switch the oven off, leaving the cookies inside for a few hours until completely cool. Serve sprinkled with edible gold leaf.
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
