Description
Festive Meringue Christmas Trees are light, airy, and crisp confections shaped like charming pine trees, perfect for adding a whimsical and sweet touch to your holiday celebrations. Made with simple ingredients like egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar, these meringues offer a melt-in-your-mouth texture and can be beautifully decorated with festive colors and sprinkles to create an impressive holiday dessert centerpiece.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 large fresh egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green food coloring, as needed for tinting
Optional Decorations
- Festive sprinkles
- Edible glitter
- Mini candy beads
- Colored sugar crystals
- White or green royal icing (for drizzling)
- Finely chopped pistachios or almonds (for nutty texture)
Instructions
- Prepare Your Equipment and Ingredients: Ensure your mixing bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry to achieve the perfect stiff peaks. Preheat your oven to 225°F (110°C) to slowly dry the meringues without browning them.
- Whip the Egg Whites to Soft Peaks: Start whipping the room temperature egg whites on medium speed until they become frothy and form soft peaks, creating the base structure for your meringue.
- Add Cream of Tartar and Gradually Incorporate Sugar: Sprinkle in the cream of tartar to stabilize the mixture, then slowly add granulated sugar one tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat. This slow addition allows sugar to dissolve properly, resulting in a glossy finish.
- Beat to Stiff Peaks and Add Flavor and Color: Continue beating until stiff peaks form and the mixture looks shiny. Gently fold in vanilla extract and green food coloring to tint your meringue batter the signature Christmas tree shade.
- Pipe the Meringue Trees: Transfer the green meringue mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, pipe tree shapes by starting at the base and layering swirls upward to create a fir tree outline.
- Decorate and Bake: Add festive sprinkles or edible glitter to give your trees a magical holiday sparkle. Bake in the preheated oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, ensuring the meringues dry completely without browning.
- Cool and Serve: Once baked, turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the door slightly open to cool gradually. This helps prevent cracking and preserves their delicate texture before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh egg whites for better volume and stability when whipping.
- Ensure your mixing bowl and utensils are free of grease to prevent egg whites from failing to whip properly.
- Add sugar slowly and gradually for a smooth, glossy meringue.
- Always pipe meringues onto parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Bake at a low temperature to dry out the meringues thoroughly for perfect crispness.
- Store meringues in an airtight container away from moisture to keep them crisp for several days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meringue tree
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Christmas meringue, festive meringue trees, holiday dessert, meringue recipe, Christmas treats, light dessert, holiday baking
