Sherried Meringue Cookies

My mother is a big fan of meringue, but I always found its flavor to be a bit too one-dimensional, until I spiked it with sherry.

Most meringue recipes instruct you to let the cookies dry out in the oven for 30 minutes or so. This recipe has a 10-minute drying period and the result is a delicate crunchy coating on the outside with a moist sherry filled inside.

These meringue cookies are extremely fragile, and may collapse when peeling them off the paper after baking, so be gentle.

Ingredients

2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 cup cream of tartar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons dry sherry

Note: Makes 36 cookies

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and lightly spray paper with a non-stick cooking spray. Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form.

Add cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Beat in sherry.

Drop by heaping teaspoon 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Use back of spoon to form meringue into peaks.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn off oven and let dry for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool thoroughly. Gently peel off paper. Store for 1 day in an airtight container at room temperature.