John Miller
Meringue mushrooms are a fun and festive treat, perfect for decorating yule logs or adding to Christmas cookie platters. They are light and airy and take some time to make, but the results are spectacular. The mushrooms are piped using a pastry bag and baked until crisp on the outside and marshmallowy in the middle. They are then assembled using chocolate and dusted with cocoa powder to create a natural dirty glow. The more irregular they are, the more realistic they look, so don't strive for perfection!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pastry bag tip size | 1/2-inch, 3/8-inch, or 1-inch round tip |
| Meringue consistency | Stiff peaks, shiny |
| Mushroom cap shape | Large chocolate kisses, 1 1/2" diameter at the base, with a swirled tip |
| Mushroom stem shape | Slimmer/taller kisses, 3/4" diameter at the base, tips pointed up |
| Baking temperature | 200˚F |
| Baking time | 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Cooling | Room temperature |
| Assembly | Dust with cocoa powder, stick caps and stems with chocolate |
| Storage | Airtight container, room temperature |
| Best for | Yule log cakes, Christmas cookie platters, gift baskets |
| Notes | Imperfections make them look more realistic, humidity can make them collapse |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the meringue
To prepare the meringue, start by beating the egg whites on medium speed until they become very frothy. Then, add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. At this point, gradually add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat the mixture until it becomes very shiny and holds stiff peaks. Be careful not to overbeat the mixture, as this can cause it to become dry and crumbly. Once the meringue reaches the desired consistency, beat in the vanilla extract.
The next step is to transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. The size of the tip can vary, with some recipes calling for a 3/8-inch tip, while others suggest a 1/2-inch or even the open end of a coupler. The pastry bag will be used to pipe the meringue into the desired mushroom shapes, so it is important to fill the bag halfway, leaving enough room to squeeze the meringue out.
When piping the mushroom caps, hold the pastry bag at a 90-degree angle about half an inch from the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Squeeze out round mounds of meringue, pulling the bag off to the side to avoid making peaks on top. The mushroom caps should resemble large chocolate kisses, with a diameter of about 1 1/2 inches at the base and a swirled tip. If desired, you can smooth the caps with a wet fingertip to create an even top.
To pipe the mushroom stems, hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet and begin squeezing to form a 1-inch round base. Continue squeezing as you slowly and evenly draw the bag up, creating a tapering stem about 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches tall. It is important to make extra stems, as some may tilt and collapse.
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Piping the mushroom caps
To pipe the mushroom caps, transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8" or 1/2-inch round tip. Hold the bag at a 90-degree angle, about 1/2 an inch from the parchment paper. Using firm and even pressure, squeeze out a round meringue disc that's about 1 1/2 inches in diameter at the base and 1 inch high. The mushroom caps should resemble large chocolate kisses with the tip swirled into the side to create an even top. If you want to be precise, you can smooth the caps with a wet fingertip.
Repeat this process at regular intervals on the baking sheet until you have enough mushroom caps. It's okay if they're not all the same size—in fact, having the pieces in different sizes will make the mushrooms look more natural. You can also add character to the mushrooms by making the stems curve a little, but be careful not to curve them too much, or they might fall over.
Once you've piped all the mushroom caps, dust them lightly with cocoa powder. You can use a small sifter or strainer for this step. If you want to give the mushrooms a natural, dirty glow, smudge the cocoa powder with your fingers.
Remember, you don't need to strive for perfection. The more irregular and off-kilter your mushroom caps are, the more realistic they'll look!
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Piping the stems
To pipe the stems of your meringue mushrooms, you will need to fill a pastry bag halfway with meringue. Position the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, about half an inch above it. Start squeezing the bag to form a 1-inch round base. Keep squeezing as you slowly and evenly draw the bag up to create a tapering stem about 1.5 inches tall.
The stems should resemble tall, slim kisses with pointed tips. It is okay if the stems curve a little, as this gives the mushrooms more character. However, if they curve too much, they will fall over. Use the remaining meringue to pipe as many stems as possible, as some stems may tilt and collapse.
It is important to note that you should not worry about making all the pieces exactly the same size. In fact, the mushrooms will look more natural if the pieces are different sizes. You can smooth the stems with a wet fingertip if you wish, but this is optional.
Once you have piped all the stems, you will need to bake the meringues. Bake at 200˚F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. They are ready to come out of the oven when they slide easily off the parchment paper. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the meringues cool completely to room temperature on the paper.
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Baking the meringue mushrooms
Once you have piped the mushrooms, place them in the oven and bake for about 90 minutes, turning them halfway through to ensure even cooking. The meringues should be hard and dry to the touch when they are done. You should be able to easily lift one from the parchment paper. When they are done, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven for several hours or overnight. This will allow them to harden further and achieve the desired crisp texture.
It is important to note that humidity can affect the meringues, causing them to become soft and collapse. Therefore, it is best to avoid placing them in a refrigerated environment or on a cake until just before serving. Additionally, the meringue mushrooms are best made on a dry day and stored at room temperature.
Once the meringues have cooled completely, you can begin the assembly process. Dust the tops and stems lightly with cocoa powder, using a small sifter or strainer. You can even smudge the cocoa powder with your fingers to give them a natural, dirty look.
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Assembling the mushrooms
To assemble the mushrooms, you can dust the tops and stems lightly with cocoa powder. If you want to give them a natural dirty glow, smudge the cocoa powder with your fingers. It is easiest to add the cocoa powder before assembling the rest of the mushroom. Then, using a small paring knife or a toothpick, rotate the tip in the centre of each mushroom cap to cut a small hole just large enough to fit the tip of the base. Melt some chocolate and transfer it into a ziploc bag. Snip off a tiny hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the chocolate into the holes of the meringue. Stick the bases into the holes and leave them upside down until the chocolate hardens and sets.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a pastry bag with a plain tip, a baking sheet, and parchment paper.
To pipe the mushroom caps, hold the pastry bag at a 90-degree angle about half an inch from the parchment paper. Using firm and even pressure, squeeze out a round meringue disc about 2 inches wide and 1 inch high. To pipe the stems, hold the bag perpendicular about half an inch from the baking sheet and begin squeezing to form a 1-inch round base. Continue to squeeze as you slowly draw the bag up to form a tapering stem.
Dust the tops and stems lightly with cocoa powder. Rotate the tip of a small paring knife in the center of each mushroom cap to cut a small hole. Melt chocolate and pipe it into the holes. Stick the bases into the holes and leave them upside down until the chocolate hardens.
