Christmas tree meringues

I came across an advertisement from a local grocery shop about making cute Christmas tree meringues. It looked pretty simple and fuss-free, so I thought why not?

We used to have a faux live-sized Christmas tree at home. I distinctly remember shopping with my family for it many years back. We picked gold and red ornaments. I love gold and red decorations; they give Christmas a snug, warm feel. The Christmas tree would stand against a wall in the living room, hence we adorned it mostly only where people could actually see it. Embellished with sparkly ornaments and illuminated with colourful lights, the tree was a charm when it was done.

I miss home. I would like to put up the Christmas tree with my family again.

These meringues were made with the intention of being a tad more green than they turned out to be. I was a knucklehead to think that they would be fine for the whole 30 - 40 minutes in the oven unsupervised; I actually went to take a bath when they were still baking! To my horror, they were already browning at the 30 minute point when I checked them.

Well, for some self-comfort, now that they look pale, they can be snow-decked Christmas trees right?

What?

• 2 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Green gel food colour (for green trees!)
• Piping bag
• Round piping tip
• Sprinkles
• Writing/decorating chocolate

How?

1. Beat egg whites until foamy.
2. Add salt and beat until soft peaks form.
3. Add in the sugar a little at a time and continue to beat the batter.
4. Add in the green gel food colour until desired shade is achieved. Whip the mixture until stiff peaks form.
5. Fill piping bags (with round piping tip attached) with the meringue.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe the meringue onto the paper. Pipe onto the parchment paper vertically until a nice round (roughly 1") circle is obtained. Pipe another (medium-sized) circle on top of the 1" circle, and finish with a small circle at the very top.
7. Decorate the tree meringue with sprinkles and bake in a preheated oven at 150 degC for about 30 - 40 minutes. Check it every now and then to make sure that the meringue does not brown.
8. Using writing/decorating chocolate, draw out some stars for the tree top. When it is completely dry, stick it to the top of the cooled meringue with a bit of melted chocolate.

Chocolate Rudolph cupcakes

Rudolf, the red-nose reindeer

Had a very shiny nose

And if you ever saw it

You would even say it glows

All of the other reindeers

Used to laugh and call him names

They never let poor Rudolph

Join in any reindeer games

Poor Rudolph, literally excluded from the group because he was different from (and so much cuter than!) the rest. Absolutely not a legit reason to be ostracised!

Then one foggy Christmas Eve

Santa came to say

Rudolph with your nose so bright

Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

Then how the reindeers loved him

As the shouted out with glee

Rudolph the red-nose reindeer

You'll go down in history!

They don't seem to be very pleasant reindeers, only cordial when they realised Rudolph had some level of importance. Orbiquek to them, I'd say. However, Rudolph being as good-natured as he was adorable, welcomed the new friendship with open antlers. I adore his virtuously forgiving nature, so chin chai and amiable. 

In celebration of the Christmas season and our red-nosed friend, I made Rudolph a dozen others just like him!

These are piped chocolate eyes and antlers. They hardened very quickly on this cold, freezing day.

You definitely made history, Rudolph!

Chocolate cupcakes
What?

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot water

How?

1. Stir the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together.
2. Add in egg, milk, oil and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
3. Pour in the hot water and stir until an even consistency is achieved. The batter will be very thin.
4. Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill the liners with the batter to about 3/4 full. 
5. Bake the cupcakes at 180 degC for about 20 minutes.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

To make Rudolph...

What?

• Writing milk/dark chocolate
• Parchment paper
• Coffee buttercream
• Piping bag
• Red chocolate buttons (I used red M&Ms)

How?

1. Melt the chocolate according to the instructions on the tube and pipe out eyes and antlers for the reindeers onto parchment paper. Leave to harden.
2. Prepare the coffee buttercream (click link for the recipe!) and put it into the piping bag. Snip off the end of the bag and pipe the buttercream onto the cupcake in a circular manner until almost the entire cupcake is covered.
3. Use a red chocolate button as the nose and place it in position on top of the buttercream.
4. Add in the chocolate eyes and antlers for the reindeer.