Meringue Porcupines

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 drop almond extract
• 1 cup apricot preserves
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 200°f.
• 2 line two baking sheets with parchment.
• 3 scoop a spoonful of meringue onto a large oval soupspoon, and use another soupspoon to form meringue into the shape of a small egg.
• 4 spoon 12 ovals onto prepared baking sheet. using a small offset spatula, pull out spikes of meringue, creatin a porcupine effect.
• 5 bake cookies until they are crisp on the outside but have marshmallow consistency inside, about 1 hour.
• 6 reduce oven to 175f, if meringue starts to brown.
• 7 remove from oven, and gently press the bottom of each meringue, so that it might be filled.
• 8 turn off oven, and return the porcupines to the oven to dry for 20 minutes.
• 9 then let cool completely, on wire rack.
• 10 put cream and almond extract in the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the wisk attachment, and mix on medium speed, until just stiff, about 2 minutes.
• 11 fill half the hollowed meringues with the filling, and the remaining halves with apricot preserves.
• 12 sandwich together.
• 13 serve immediately.