Itty-Bitty Lemon Meringues

I figured I'd start off my week with a blog post. What do I have better to do on a cloudy Monday? You're right, nothing! Well, except maybe sleep, especially after this past weekend. I did very little sleeping, but a whole lot of memory making. In any case, staying up until the wee hours of the morning quickly reminds me that I'm no longer in my 20s.

Anyway, from time to time my mom makes cookies for people for special occasions. She made over 5,000 cookies from September to December last year. When she makes them she always ends up with some that aren't pretty enough or are slightly burnt that only make it to the "plate of mishap cookies." This plate sits at her house for the taking by anyone who passes through. Let me tell you, it's true, even too much of a good thing ("the plate of mishap cookies") is a bad thing.

So, I think my mom was getting tired of making cookies, because she started making pies. Just miniature ones. Which, don't be fooled, are pretty much still cookies if you ask me. But, perhaps, cookies with a lil' flare if you will. Lemon Meringue is her favorite pie. It is actually quite a few of the house passer throughers favorites too. Hence, her inspiration for these cookies, which I am dubbing Itty-Bitty Lemon Meringues. She also loves to put meringue on anything, if she can. I will admit it does make things look just a tad fancy.

These cookies are pretty simple if you have the right tools and the time. Also, when my Mom and I make cookies we always spend one day making the dough and then another actually baking the cookies. This works well, because most cookie dough needs to chill in the frig before handling.

Having the "tassey stomper" (shown above) and the small cookie scoop makes this all go a lot quicker. This is the pudding mix we use for lemon meringue anything. 

You'll also need some tassey pans. You can find them at pretty much any store that has bakeware. Once you have these things on hand, you're set to go. 

Itty-Bitty Lemon Meringes

Crust: 

8 oz. cream cheese

2.5 sticks margarine

3 cups flour

Filling:

1 2.9 oz. package of cook and serve lemon pudding and pie filling

1/2 cup sugar

2-1/4 cup water

2 beaten egg yolks

Meringue:

3 egg whites

1/3 cup sugar

Start by making the crust the day before. To make the crust, cream together the cream cheese and margarine with a mixer. Add the flour. Refrigerate over night. If the dough is too wet the next day add a little more flour. Roll the dough into small balls. The size all depends on how dainty you really want to make these cookies. I usually roll the balls into roughly a bouncy ball size or a little bigger. Set the ball into the tassey pan. Dip the tassey stomper into flour and then "stomp" your dough ball. Slow, gentle and steady is the way to go here. Trying to get all walls of the tassie even is more difficult than it looks. You also do not want really thick walls (you don't want all dough and hardly any filling), so finding the right size dough ball for your pan may take a few tries. Practice makes perfect.

Bake the tassies at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes on the top rack (putting only 4 trays in the oven at one time seems to work best). They'll be slightly golden. Remove from oven, let cool for a few seconds and then restomp the cookies down. Return to oven and bake only 4 more minutes (do not let them get very brown). Remove from oven and remove the tassey cups from the tassey pans once cool enough.

While the cookie part is cooling make the filling. Stir the pudding mix, sugar, 1/4 cup water and the egg yolks in medium saucepan. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of water and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes, stir twice. Scoop into the cookie crust using the cookie scoop or a small ice cream scoop, you want to fill them to the top. Let cool while making the meringue.

To make the meringue beat 3 egg whites in a large bowl (I have the best luck in a chilled clean and dry bowl) until foamy. Add the sugar and beat until the whites form stiff peaks. Once stiff, spread the meringue over the lemon filling. You want to be sure that the meringue covers the entire top, and seals against the crust. If the meringue does not touch the cookie or crust it will pull away from the edges and shrink on the top of your cookie. This goes for pies too or anything you're making with meringue. Use a spoon to pull the meringue to a point or to make a design. Bake the meringue/cookies at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes or until it starts to brown. You really want to keep an eye on the meringue.

And Voila! you're done and they're ready to enjoy.

They're just too cute.

So, I hope you had a chance to make lots of memories this past weekend too. And are enjoying your Monday, even if it is a cloudy, chilly, hard to roll out of bed kind of day.