ted cookie drop: Halloween part ii

(This post is the second installment of a three part series. To read the first post, click here.)

Mr. Mari took this picture at TED HQ to show me what was left at the end of the day: Two. Lone. Bones. I guess the cookie drop went over well. 

As you might imagine, making and decorating over 75 sugar cookies takes a bit of time. Needing something that was quicker than that as part of my non-scheduled yet self-imposed drop, I made meringue cookies. They're super easy to make - but the key to making meringue is as the Beastie Boys say, "Slow and low, that is the tempo". And a dry day.

CINNAMON & COFFEE FLAVORED MERINGUE COOKIES
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
about 75 3-inch bones

4 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar, divided in half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon extract
1 teaspoon coffee extract

Move oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two cookies sheets with parchment paper. Have a piping bag with a 3/8-inch straight tip or gallon-size plastic bag ready. 

In an oil-free stand mixer with whisk attachment, pour in egg whites. On the lowest setting, mix egg whites until they start to get frothy. Once the froth is so thick that you can only see through the center, add the cream of tartar and increase speed to medium-high. Once the whites begin to look fluffy and pillowy (about 90 seconds), slowly sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar while continuing to whip (about one minute). Add your extracts and reduce speed to low. Add remaining 1/2-cup sugar and once you're done pouring, turn off the machine. 

Now, as quickly as possible, fill your piping bag. If you're using a gallon plastic bag, twist it shut and trim off one corner so you have an opening that's a little over 3/8-inch wide. 

Pipe a 1/2 to 3/4-inch blob and then pipe a two-inch line and finish the line with another 1/2 to 3/4-inch blob. Make another blob/line/blob, right next to the first one, being sure to keep the center bones connected (or else they'll be super fragile).  You can pipe the bones pretty close to one another since they won't expand, about 1/2-inch apart. You may need an additional third tray depending on how large you make your bones.

Bake in the oven for at least one hour or until they are hard and dry. Turn off the oven and let them continue to dry out - for at least 3 hours. You can store them in airtight containers for up to two weeks. If you have any extra dessicants from other things you've purchased, I'd toss them in the container to help keep moisture at bay. Since I was bringing them to the TED office on a super humid day, I rebaked them in the morning, to ensure dryness and crispness. Mushy meringue isn't tasty. 

Feel free to substitute other extracts or make other shapes like skulls. I opted not to add food coloring because I wanted them bone white (get it?) but for kids, maybe green or orange bones would be fun. Add the food coloring in when you're adding your extracts. Enjoy and boo!