Meringue Mushrooms

a bunch of meringue mushrooms

The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 7 to 10 servings

Meringue mushrooms are a classic accompaniment to the traditional bûche de Noël, or Christmas yule log cake. In addition to the ingredients listed, you will need a large electric mixer and a pastry bag with a coupler or 1/2-inch round tip.

Ingredients

  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature

  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips, or dark, or candy coating

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    meringue mushroom ingredients gathered in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  2. Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

    Preheat the oven to 200 F.

    two sheet pans lined with parchment paper

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  3. Place room temperature egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. It's important that the bowl and whisk both be very clean so that the egg whites whip properly.

    standing mixer with whisk attached and egg whites in bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  4. Begin beating the egg whites on medium speed. Once they are very frothy, stop the mixer and add the cream of tartar. Start the mixer again and continue to beat the egg whites. Once they form soft peaks, increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Beat the whites until they are very shiny and hold stiff peaks, but are not dry or crumbly.

    standing mixer with whipped egg whites holding firm peaks from whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  5. Spoon the meringue into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip, or the open end of a coupler.

    whipped egg whites in a piping bag

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  6. Pipe the mushroom caps: hold the pastry bag at a 90-degree angle about 1/2-inch from the parchment paper. Using firm and even pressure, squeeze out a round meringue disc about 2-inches wide and 1-inch high. Stop squeezing, then twist the bag and lift it from the meringue to get a clean “break” from the cap. Repeat in regular intervals on the baking sheet until you have approximately 2 dozen mushroom caps.

    meringue being piped in small circles on to prepared baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  7. Smooth out the tops of your mushrooms by wetting your index finger with a bit of water and lightly running it along the caps.

    finger with water smoothing out the tip of a meringue

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  8. Next, pipe the mushroom stems. Again position the bag perpendicular about 1/2-inch from the baking sheet. Begin squeezing the bag to form a 1-inch round base. Continue to squeeze as you slowly and evenly draw the bag up, forming a tapering stem about 1 1/2-inches tall. Use the remaining meringue to pipe as many stems as possible—some stems invariably tilt and collapse, so you should always make extras.

    additional meringue being piped on to tray

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  9. Bake the meringues for about 90 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking. The meringues should be hard and dry to the touch, and you should be able to easily lift one from the parchment. Once the meringues are done, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven for several hours or overnight.

    two trays of piped meringue ready for oven

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  10. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating.

    melted chocolate in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  11. To assemble, use a toothpick to carve a small hole in the bottom of a mushroom cap.

    cooked meringue on a plate with small hole carved out with a toothpick

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  12. Dip the top of a stem in the melted chocolate, and stick the chocolate-covered stem top in the hole of the mushroom cap. Place the mushroom on a baking tray to set, and repeat with remaining caps and stems.

    meringue mushrooms cap side down with stems placed inside chocolate hole

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  13. Place the cocoa powder in a sifter, and lightly sift cocoa over the tops of the mushrooms.

    finished meringue mushrooms with dusting of cocoa powder on top on sheet tray

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Tips

  • Mushrooms can be stored for up to a month in an airtight container in a cool, dry room.
  • Note that humidity can make the mushroom soft and collapse, so do not place them on a cake or in a refrigerated environment until immediately before serving.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
73 Calories
2g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 7 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 73
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 15mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 35mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)