Crafting For The Fair

Pumpkin Spiced Meringues
Hi Spin-Sters!

Today is all about preparing sweets to sell at a craft fair that benefits the Morocco Shriners this weekend. Since it is fall season, and so close to Thanksgiving, Jenn has decided to make Pumpkin Spiced Meringues and Peanut Blossoms, which will be in the next post. These little puffs of air and sweetness have that flavor that you would associate with the flavors of Thanksgiving. She used her favorite swiss meringue recipe and to give them some flavor, she let 3 whole cloves and 1 stick of cinnamon steep in the egg whites and sugar mixture while it came up to 145* F.

 She piped them about an inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Jenn sprinkled Pumpkin Pie Spice over each of the meringues. This recipe provided about over 100, they will sell for 3 for a $1.

There was an issue with the baking process because of the weather changing and there is a lot of humidity in the air. Florida is known for its humidity. Jenn baked the meringues at 175* F for 1 and a half hours and she left the oven door ajar overnight to let the meringues dry. Well, come morning, Jenn wakes up and they are not dry at all. So she turned the oven back on at 175* F and let more of the moisture in the meringues evaporate for 3-4 hours.  

Jenn pulled them out to use the the oven for her Peanut Blossom cookies, and as they sat on the counter, the moisture started appearing in them, making them sticky and starting to gloop together. Luckily Melanie caught this and suggested that Jenn put them in a container on top of parchment. Under the parchment, was rice. Rice is a natural drying agent, as it absorbs a lot of moisture. 

These meringues have that yummy spice flavor with the texture you loved from meringues.  Give it a try and let us know what you think...

SPPPIINNN!!!