I participated in ‘The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap‘ again this year. Despite the fact that it isn’t Australian based, I still think it’s such a great cause and also so much fun to give and receive cookies. You can read about my experience last year, here.
This year I needed to bake gluten free cookies. Instead of trying to alter recipes and re invent the wheel so to speak I decided to go with something that was naturally gluten free, meringues. I made little meringue cookies with my own twist. These have a strong hit of coffee (hence the espresso title) and their bottoms are dipped in chocolate and almonds. The coffee, chocolate and almonds make the perfect combination.
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tblsp ground instant coffee
- 120g milk chocolate
- 1/2 tsp oil
- 1 cup crushed slivered almonds (toasted)
Instructions
Pre heat oven to 140c. Place the egg whites and sugar into a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water(be sure your water isn't too hot or it ill cook the egg whites). Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, once dissolved place into a bowl of a mixer and whip for about 5 minutes until egg white mixture is thick, firm and glossy. Add in coffee and whip till combined. Place into a piping bag and pipe onto baking paper lined trays.
Place in the oven for 1.5 hours. After this, turn the oven off but leave them in the oven to cool, for best results, make this recipe in the evening and leave the meringues in the oven overnight to dry out. Meringues will be ready when they feel feel hard, lift away from the paper easily and sound hollow when tapped.
Once ready melt chocolate in a microwave, check and stir every 30 seconds. Add in the oil to the melted chocolate and mix. Dip the bottom of each meringue into the chocolate and then the almonds, place on a baking sheet to set.
Recipe adapted from The Cupcake Project
These Espresso Meringue Cookies were sent to Erika Rax, The Little Blue Bicycle and The Aussie Kitchen. I received delicious Peanut Butter Choc Chip cookies from Erika Rax, spicy Ginger cookies from The Little Blue Bicycle (I can’t believe you’re only 14) and Triple Chocolate gluten free cookies from Fati’s Recipes. I have to admit, this cookie swap makes you feel like a little child again. I was constantly checking the mailbox and the door to see if I had received more cookies. Once the last one arrived I was so disappointed that I wasn’t going to be receiving any more. So, if you’re baking cookies, please post some to me.
Faaiza, these were just gorgeous! It had the perfect amount of a coffee hit and the little bit of chocolate and almonds just took them to the next level. Love your work lady xx
Thank you!
Scrumptious! They look so mouth watering! Well done 🙂
Thank you!
🙁 I wish they gave you my name to swap cookies with. I really wanted to make meringues but they seemed like too much work with the little time I had on my hands. And these look so very good, I’m really upset I didn’t get to try them! 🙁
Aww, so great to hear from you, was wondering what happened and if everything was ok. These were actually quite a lot easier than I expected, I suppose it’s just that it takes a bit of time since it’s best to leave them in the oven overnight. Your cookies were delicious, I had to share them around or honestly I would’ve eaten them all myself.