As with many of my other creations, these meringues were developed out of the need to use up some ingredients I had on hand. I had four egg whites left over from another dish I made. I was also thinking about the fact that I wanted to come up with something original for St. Patrick’s Day. And so I got to thinking…egg whites…St. Patrick’s Day…green…mint…chocolate…voila! St. Patty’s Mint Chocolate Meringues were born.
These mint chocolate meringue jewels are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Bring these to a St. Patrick’s Day party, to work, or make them to share with your family and friends. Be prepared to wow the crowd with these gorgeous, delicate and decadent little jewels.
Don’t be intimidated by their upscale appearance, these meringue treats are not difficult to make. As usual, I’ve provided pictured instructions so you can see what everything is supposed to look like. Prep time is less than 10 minutes and other than dipping the meringues in chocolate at the end, the oven does the rest!
Step by Step Guide to Making St Patrick’s Day Chocolate Meringues
Step 1
Crack the whites of 4 large eggs into a small bowl.
Step 2
If you don’t have caster sugar (super fine sugar), place regular granulated sugar in a coffee or spice grinder and grind for a couple of minutes until fine.
Step 3
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached. Absolutely make sure the bowl is totally dry with no trace of grease. Even a smidgen of grease will keep the egg whites from stiffening.
Step 4
Beat on medium speed just until foamy and add the cream of tartar. Cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites so that they will firm up nicely and retain their shape.
Step 5
After adding the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form.
Step 6
While still beating, gradually add the sugar in a steady stream.
Step 7
Scrape down the sides to get all of the sugar incorporated. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. The mixture will develop a beautiful satiny appearance.
Step 8
Add the green food coloring, vanilla extract and mint extract. Add however many drops you want until the desired shade of green is reached.
Step 9
Beat just until the color is incorporated.
Step 10
Use a rubber spatula or a large spoon to scoop out the meringue.
Step 11
Spoon drops of meringue (about 2 inches in diameter) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, or a very lightly greased nonstick baking sheet.
Bake the meringues in the oven preheated to 200F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven to cool completely.
Step 12
Remove the cooled meringues from the oven.
Step 13
Place a double boiler over boiling water and add the chocolate (I ended up using 4 squares instead of three). Melt completely and keep the chocolate heated in the double boiler while you are dipping the meringues so that it doesn’t harden.
Step 14
Dip the bottoms of the meringues in the chocolate and carefully lay them upside down on wax paper to dry and harden completely.
FAQ AND TROUBLESHOOTING
Why did my meringues collapse?
This could be due to under-beating the egg whites or humidity. Ensure stiff peaks form before baking.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of squares?
Yes, chocolate chips melt similarly, but chocolate squares may result in smoother chocolate.
How long will these meringues last?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Can I omit cream of tartar?
Cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites; if omitted, the meringue may not hold as well.
Why are my meringues sticky?
This often results from humidity or under-baking. Allow them extra time in the oven to dry completely.
St. Patrick’s Day Mint Chocolate Meringues
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 20-24 Meringues 1x
Description
Crispy on the outside and light and chewy on the inside, these delicious, delicate, gorgeous, decadent little jewels will wow the crowd.
Ingredients
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup superfine caster sugar (or regular sugar ground fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
A few drops of green food coloring
2 squares semisweet chocolate (approximately 2 ounces / 56 grams)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Equipment
- Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or very lightly grease a nonstick baking sheet.
Step 2: Beat the Egg Whites
- Place egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Beat on medium speed until foamy.
- Add cream of tartar and increase speed to medium-high until soft peaks form.
Step 3: Add Sugar and Flavoring
- Gradually add sugar in a slow, steady stream while beating continuously.
- Continue beating until stiff peaks form, glossy and firm.
- Gently fold in vanilla extract, mint extract, and a few drops of green food coloring until evenly colored.
Step 4: Form Meringues
- Drop rounded spoonfuls of meringue mixture (about 2 inches in diameter) onto the prepared baking sheet.
Step 5: Bake the Meringues
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven off, leaving the meringues inside to cool completely. This ensures they dry and crisp properly.
Step 6: Dip in Chocolate
- Melt semisweet chocolate squares in a double boiler over gently simmering water, stirring until smooth.
- Dip the bottoms of cooled meringues into melted chocolate, gently shaking off excess chocolate.
- Place dipped meringues upside down on waxed paper until chocolate is set completely.
Notes
Ensure egg whites are at room temperature for maximum volume.
Sugar should be added slowly to achieve stable peaks.
Humidity can affect meringue consistency; choose a dry day for best results.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meringue
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0g
If you liked this, you are going to love these other St Patrick’s Day Recipes:
Beer, Batter and Bread Fritters
Saint Patrick’s Day – Irish Soda Bread
St. Patrick’s Day-Inspired Recipes to Make us Wish it Came More than Once a Year
Skip the Green Beer: Festive St. Patrick’s Day Drinks (No Food Coloring Needed)
Hi Floreksa, sorry about that oversight. I’ve added it to the recipe.
How much sugar? I don’t see the amount listed.