Bezele (Meringues)

Name: Bezele (Meringues)
Yield: 30 to 40 meringues
Cuisine: Romania
Ingredients: 4 egg whites, at room temperature; 200 g granulated sugar, or half granulated and half powdered; 5 g lemon juice or white vinegar; 1 tsp vanilla; a pinch of salt

Also called bezea, Romanian meringues, bezele cu nuca, bezele cu cocos

Plain crisp meringues dried slowly in a low oven, eaten plain, dipped in chocolate or sandwiched with cream.

Makes: 30 to 40 meringues

Cookies Gluten-free

Ingredients

Scale

Pan sizes, times and temperatures in the method are not scaled.

4egg whites, at room temperature
200 g1 cupgranulated sugar, or half granulated and half powdered
5 g1 tsplemon juice or white vinegar
1 tspvanilla
a pinch of salt

Method

Heat the oven to 210°F (100°C) and line baking sheets.
Beat the egg whites (4) with the salt and lemon juice (5 g1 tsp) to soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar (200 g1 cup) 1 tablespoon at a time, beating 30 seconds between additions. Keep beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy and feels smooth, not gritty, when rubbed between your fingers.
Add the vanilla (1 tsp) and beat 30 seconds more.
Pipe or spoon onto the sheets as rosettes, kisses, swirls or mounds.
Bake 1½ to 2 hours, until completely dry but not browned. They are done when they lift cleanly off the parchment and sound hollow when tapped underneath.
Turn off the oven, prop the door open and let them cool inside.

Notes

Bezele cu nucă. Fold {100 g} ground walnuts into the meringue before piping and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. They stay slightly chewy inside.
Bezele cu cocos (Kokosmakronen). Fold {150 g} desiccated coconut into the meringue and bake the same way.
Sandwiched. Pair two meringues with whipped cream, chocolate ganache or lemon curd.
Humidity softens them. Avoid making them on a rainy day and store them airtight.