Mother’s Day Meringue

Hazelnut Meringue Kisses

These light and airy meringues are the perfect baked treat for Mother’s Day. This recipe is a simplified version of the Italian Baci de Dama. They’re gluten-free and call for less sugar than traditional meringues. Roasted hazelnuts pack a nutritional punch with vitamin E, manganese and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Pair this dessert with fresh berries for a beautiful and nutritious way to thank the mom in your life.

Makes 15 servings.

Per 2 cookie serving: 76 calories, 5 g fat (<1 g sat fat), 6 g carbohydrates, 
2 g protein, 1 g fiber, 26 mg sodium.
  • 1 cup hazelnuts
  • 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
    

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spread nuts in 1 layer in shallow pan. Roast for 5 minutes, stir, and roast nuts 5 minutes longer. Immediately wrap nuts in dishtowel and rub together vigorously to remove as much skin as possible. Spread skinned nuts out and cool to room temperature.
  3. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment and set aside.
  4. Chop one-third cup of nuts very fine. Doing this by hand takes a few minutes but gives a nicer result than using a food processor. Place nuts in bowl. Coarsely chop remaining nuts and add to finely chopped ones. Set nuts aside.
  5. In an immaculately clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on medium-high until frothy. Add salt and beat on high until whites form soft peaks. While beating, add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Continue beating until whites are thick and glossy, like marshmallow fluff. Fold in cinnamon and all nuts.
  6. Drop meringue by tablespoon onto lined baking sheets, spacing kisses 1 inch apart. Use back of spoon to shape and smooth them, leaving some points and crags.
  7. Bake for 50-60 minutes, if possible placing both pans side by side in center of oven. When meringues are crisp almost all the way through, turn off oven and let kisses sit with oven door ajar, for up to 4 hours. Transfer kisses to wire racks to cool completely.
  8. These kisses keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, though damp weather may soften them to be chewier.