Bezy, or Meringue Cookies

Bezy (Beh-zih), or Meringue cookies in English, are some of the simplest but complicated cookies I have ever cooked.  Simple in terms of the amount of ingredients and steps, but complicated in terms of, if you don't understand the steps, you get egg white mush, which I will admit was my result the first two batches I ever made.

Every year for Christmas for at least the past ten years, I have not given toys or gift cards to friends and family, I have only given out homemade cookies. 


The first three years the cookies were not really great and took me so much energy to make, I felt discouraged.  But I spent a lot of time and energy in them and gifted them anyway, because "it's the thought that counts".  I've gotten better since.


Ingredients:

6 egg whites (so that there is plenty of liquid for the mixer to really mix well)
3/4 to 1 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it) You can use regular or powder or raw sugar

Optional:

pinch of salt or 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar to help stabilize the bubbles in the egg whites
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or rum extract

Separate the egg whites and leave to room temperature for half an hour. 

Beat the egg whites until foamy.  A tip: Make absolutely sure there is no oil on the bowl or wire whip (whisk) as this will prevent the bubbles from properly forming.  If you are going to add the salt or cream of tartar, this is when you would do it.

 

 

Once you have soft peaks to your egg whites (I whip mine on 8 on my mixer up to this point, then switch to 4 while adding sugar), you can begin adding the sugar a little at a time.

 

 

Mix until the sugar is all dissolved.  Or the egg whites have stiff beaks and you don't want to over mix.  Add the vanilla or rum extract and mix completely.

 

Once you have either glopped them onto the cookie sheet or piped them, it's time to put them in the oven.

 

Bake at anywhere between 200-275 degrees for 1-2 hours.  I prefer mine at 225 degrees for 2 hours.  I like mine to be completely dry all the way through but some like theirs soft and gooey inside.

They didn't even get a chance to be set down before my husband, and then my older daughter right after, stole one.

 

I hope Sw. Mikolaj likes these!  I hope they last until Sw. Mikolaj comes...

 

Smacznego!


Notes:  If you pipe them using a smaller hole, they will be more crisp and solid.  If you pipe them using a larger hole or just glopping them onto the baking sheet, they will be more fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth.

If you use raw sugar, they will be more of a tan color when done and the inside will be darker.  This is because of the natural color of raw sugar.

You can also stir in chocolate chips or chopped walnuts into the whipped flavored egg whites just before piping for a more interesting texture, if you like.  We like them plain with vanilla extract.