Pecan Praline Meringue Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 ½ hrs

This recipe was originally published in the award-winning cookbook Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-Waylly (Knopf, 2023). Reprinted here with permission.

You can purchase Start Here here

Ingredients:

• 4 large egg whites (about 140 grams)
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
• 213 grams (1 cup packed) light brown sugar
• 120 grams (1 cup) pecans, toasted and chopped

Special Equipment:

• Sheet pans
• Strand mixer (or large bowl and hand mixer)
• Parchment paper

Method:

1. Set up: Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat to 250℉ (120℃). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Whip the meringue: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk (or a large bowl with a hand mixer- see Note), whip the egg whites and salt on medium speed until they are opaque, thickened, and just hold a soft peak, 4 to 6 minutes. While whipping on medium speed, add the brown sugar 1 heaping spoonful at a time using your fingers to break up any large clumps.
3. Increase the speed to medium-heat and whip until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks stopping to scrape the bowl if there is any unincorporated sugar on the sides, 8 to 10 minutes. (To check, stop the mixer and remove the whisk from the mixer. Swirl the whisk in the meringue, lift it out, and flip it over. The meringue should hold straight with a tip that curls back onto itself. If it’s not there yet, continue to mix in 30-second intervals, stopping to check after each.)
4. Tap a small dollop of meringue onto each corner of the parchment sheet to seal them down to the pans.
5. Fold in the pecans: Sprinkle the pecans over the meringue, then, using the head of a stiff silicone spatula, cut down the center of the meringue, then turn the bowl while scooping the bottom of the meringue up and over the top. Repeat until the pecans are evenly distributed.
6. Use two big spoons to plop generous 2-inch dollops of meringue onto the sheet pans, spacing them at least 1 ½ inches apart.
7. Bake the meringues: Transfer both pans to the oven and bake until the meringues are lightly browned, set but still slightly soft, and easily peel off the parchment (they will crisp as they cool). 1 ½ to 2 hours, swirling racks and rotating the pans front to back halfway through. (To test for doneness, remove one meringue, allow to cool at room temperature, then break open to check its texture. They should be crisp and dry on the outside and slightly moist in the center.)
8. Prop open the oven with a wooden spoon and turn the oven off. Let the meringues cool in the warm oven for 1 hour.
9. Store in an airtight container at room temperature (with a desiccant if you have one) for up to 1 week if the weather is dry, or 2 days if it’s humid.

Note: If using a hand mixer, you will need to increase the speed by one level and double the mixing times.