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Meringue Swirls

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Food editor Kristina Kurek mixed fresh vanilla bean seeds and citrus zest into a meringue cookie. The result -- a sweet, swirly cloud that tastes as good as it looks.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, May 2012
Total Time Prep Yield

Ingredients

Directions

Variations

On "Martha Bakes," Martha used one whole vanilla bean and eliminated the orange zest. You may use any color of gel-paste food coloring you like.

Cook's Notes

The orange zest and orange food coloring in these cookies can be swapped out for lemon zest and yellow food coloring. If you want to mix colors, make one batch of each rather than splitting the recipe.

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Reviews

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How would you rate this recipe?
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  • SMerrigal66
    23 APR, 2012
    I've made this recipe twice. They are delicious, but they don't dry completely on the outside and are sticky. I baked at 200 in a convection oven for about 1 1/2 hours. The inside is perfect, but there's no way I could put together in a package without them becoming one big blob. I live in Florida and thought maybe the humidity is a factor, but it's not bad right now. Any suggestions? Thanks!
    Reply
    • kayrom31
      27 NOV, 2016
      Leave them in the oven (turned off) overnight. They have to dry out completely, and if you live where there's high humidity, they won't unless you do that. Keep them in an airtight container and never refrigerate or freeze.
  • bumpslip1
    16 MAY, 2012
    I followed the receipe to the letter, but I have a major problem with the after effects. Once cooled, they become very soft and stickty. I cooled them down in the refrigerator and they still are very soft and sticky. Does this mean that maybe they have to be cooked longer than 1hr. and 15 minutes?
    Reply
    • kayrom31
      27 NOV, 2016
      I realize your post is years old, but... Never, ever refrigerate meringues. They will always get gummy and sticky. The correct way to make them is to bake them, then leave them in the oven (turned off) overnight. They have to dry out completely, and this is the best way to do it. Don't open the oven at all, unless you want to stick another finished sheet in there for overnight. Do it quickly if you must. This step is a must especially if you live where there's high humidity.
  • cardigan39
    25 OCT, 2013
    This is a WONDERFUL recipe! They turn out beautiful; light and airy just the way they should be. I made them using purple & green stripes for a baby shower and they got rave reviews. I think I'll try them for Christmas using red & green coloring and peppermint extract. YUM!
    Reply
  • Pauline 2013
    24 FEB, 2013
    The oven is 200 degrees fahrenheit not centigrade. It is 93 degrees celsius. This is a very slow oven and cooks the meringues just perfectly.
    Reply
  • meringue lover
    6 DEC, 2012
    Just pulled the meringue's out of the oven - burnt and revolting. Followed the recipe exactly trusting martha all the way. Suprised how high the oven was. DISASTER
    Reply
  • DADAVIDSON
    29 AUG, 2012
    Is it possible to make these in advance and freeze?
    Reply
  • nanarob2
    1 JUN, 2012
    Wow, this recipe sounds marvelous! Do I need to use the vanilla bean seeds, or can I use a tsp of pure vanilla?
    Reply
  • CookParadise Cuisine
    1 JUN, 2012
    Hello Martha Swirl meringue recipe, that is what you call cream pie? and the gel paste food coloring? are found in France? thank you. Valerie for COOK PARADISE France.
    Reply
  • CookParadise Cuisine
    1 JUN, 2012
    Hello Martha Swirl meringue recipe, that is what you call cream pie? and the gel paste food coloring? are found in France? thank you. Valerie for COOK PARADISE France.
    Reply
  • julianne0009
    23 MAY, 2012
    I made these yesterday and they turned out great. HOWEVER, I changed the cooking time a lot. I've always known meringues to be ready when you can touch them in the oven and they feel dry. So I cooked them at 200 degrees for 1 hour 50 minutes to get there. They turned out dry all the way through (not soft on the inside like the recipe suggests), but I like crispy meringues. I think I'll try 1 hour 35 min. next time. Used lemon zest 'cause I had it, but curious to try orange.
    Reply

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