Coconut Raspberry Meringue Kiss Cookies
These coconut raspberry meringue kiss cookies are a delightful treat with their crispy outer shell and tender, melt-in-your-mouth center, perfectly complemented by a luscious homemade raspberry curd topping. Making meringue is a labor of love, but the delicious results are truly worth it. The unique combination of the crispy exterior and soft interior will leave you saying *mwah* chef’s kiss!
With their light and airy texture, these confections are a perfect treat for coconut enthusiasts. Experience the crispy outer shell and delicate, melt-in-your-mouth center, topped with a silky homemade raspberry curd.
What is meringue?
Meringue consists of whipped egg whites and sugar, and it allows for various methods of preparation, including the French method (gradually adding sugar to whipped egg whites) or the Italian method (boiling sugar and liquid before incorporating it into whipped egg whites).
For this recipe, we opt for the Swiss method, gently heating all the sugar with the egg whites to achieve a smooth meringue consistency.
The Swiss method is more reliable with fewer chances of error compared to the French and Italian methods, as the French method risks deflating the egg whites when adding too much sugar at once, while the Italian method requires precise boiling to the “candy” stage, which can be challenging to gauge accurately.
Why you will love these coconut raspberry meringue kiss cookies
- Rich coconut flavor. These meringue kiss cookies are infused with the delightful taste of coconut, creating a tropical sensation that will make you immediately feel like you’re on vacation.
- The raspberry curd. The combination of raspberry and meringue is a great flavor pairing. The raspberry curd is easy to make, bursting with tangy raspberry goodness. The crunch of the meringue shell paired with the luscious raspberry curd is *mwah* chef’s kiss!
- Minimal ingredients. Despite meringue being a labor of love (requiring careful attention), the ingredients are wonderfully uncomplicated! All you need are egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and cream of tartar.
Key ingredients
- Egg whites: egg whites are the main ingredient for creating the airy and fluffy meringue. When whipped, they trap air bubbles, giving the meringue its characteristic lightness and volume.
- Granulated sugar: sugar sweetens the meringue and provides structure. It also stabilizes the egg whites, helping them hold their shape and preventing them from deflating. Granulated sugar also sweetens the curd, balancing the tartness of the raspberries and lemon.
- Cream of tartar: cream of tartar is an acidic ingredient that further stabilizes the egg whites and helps create a more structured and stable meringue.
- Toasted coconut extract: the coconut extract infuses the meringue with a rich coconut flavor, transforming it into coconut meringue. Amoretti’s toasted coconut extract adds a tropical twist to the traditional meringue, making it perfect for coconut lovers.
- Frozen raspberries: the frozen raspberries serve as the base of the raspberry curd, providing the vibrant color and intense raspberry flavor.
- Lemons: the lemon zest adds a bright and zesty citrus note to the raspberry curd, enhancing its overall taste and balancing the sweetness. The freshly squeezed lemon juice further contributes to the tangy and refreshing flavor profile of the curd.
- Eggs: eggs act as a binding agent and provide a smooth, creamy texture to the curd. They also help thicken the curd during the cooking process.
- Unsalted butter: butter enriches the raspberry curd, adding a creaminess and velvety mouthfeel. It also helps thicken the curd and enhances its flavor.
How to make coconut raspberry meringue kiss cookies
Heat the meringue using the Swiss method
- Combine the ingredients. In a heat proof bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and cream of tartar.
- Heat the mixture. Place the bowl over a pot that has 2 inches of boiling water, but make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Whisk. Whisk the mixture together over a water bath. In this step, you are heating up the mixture until it gets to about 160F. This pasteurizes the egg whites and makes them safe to eat. It also aids in the dissolving of the sugar into the egg whites.
- Pinch the mixture. The mixture will start out thick but will thin out after it heats up. Once it’s thinner and frothy on top, use your whisk/spatula to pick up some of the mixture and let it drop in between your fingers. If you pinch it together, you shouldn’t be able to feel any of the sugar granules.
- Whip the mixture. Once it has been 4-5 minutes and the sugar granules cannot be detected, remove from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for 4-6 minutes until thick and glossy, stiff peaks are formed. You should be able to turn the bowl completely upside down and none of the meringue will fall out.
Baking and cooling the meringue
- Pipe. Pipe the meringue onto a baking sheet using a piping bag with a star tip – you can space them pretty close together as they will not spread.
- Bake. Bake them for at least one hour. All ovens differ, elevations differ, humidity differs, the size of your meringue differs, etc., so I cannot say how long it will actually take to bake. You should be able to gently lift the meringues off of the pan. If you tap the bottom of the meringue, it should sound hollow.
- Leave to cool. Once the meringues are done, turn the oven off and leave them in the oven for one hour with the door shut. Then, leave them in the oven for an additional one hour with the door cracked. After that hour is up, you can remove them from the oven.
Meringue making tips
- Wipe down the mixing bowl. Remove any fat residue from the bowl to ensure stiff peaks can form properly.
- Whip to just stiff peaks. Avoid over-whipping, which can cause cracking or seeping.
- Bake immediately. Don’t delay baking, as leaving the meringue out can lead to stiffening.
- Allow proper cooling. Avoid rushing the cooling process to prevent cracking. Cool the meringues in the oven for one hour with the door closed, then another hour with the door cracked while the oven is off.
How to make raspberry curd
- Cook raspberries, lemon zest, and juice in a saucepan until soft and juicy. Strain the mixture to get about 3/4 cup (185g) of raspberry juice.
- Whisk in the sugar, then the eggs, into the raspberry juice and cook until thickened. Strain once more, then add the cubed butter and stir until melted.
- Drizzle or dip the cooled meringues in the raspberry curd and top with freeze-dried raspberries or coconut shreds. Enjoy!
FAQ
Certainly! The raspberry curd can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for up to a week. Just give it a gentle stir before using.
Certainly! You can bake the meringues ahead of time and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days. This way, you can easily assemble the coconut meringue cookies with raspberry curd whenever you’re ready to enjoy them.
Chewy meringues are typically a result of underbaking or insufficient drying time. Make sure to bake the meringues until they are completely dry and crisp.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Meringues can be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months. However, keep in mind that they might lose a bit of their crispiness upon thawing.
Stiff peaks refer to the stage where whipped egg whites hold their shape firmly without collapsing when the beaters are lifted. To achieve stiff peaks, whip the egg whites until they become glossy and form upright peaks. Be cautious not to over-whip the meringue, as this can affect its texture.
Meringues can crack due to rapid temperature changes during baking or if they are baked at too high a temperature. To minimize cracking, cool the meringues gradually according to the instructions in the recipe card.
Meringues can seep liquid if the sugar is not fully dissolved in the egg whites or if the meringues are not baked long enough to dry out completely. Make sure the sugar is fully incorporated, and bake the meringues until they are dry and crisp throughout.
Yellowish meringues could be the result of using eggs with deep yellow yolks. This color can sometimes transfer to the meringue, but it won’t affect the taste or texture. It also can mean that the meringues are baked too long or at too high of a temperature.
Meringue may not form stiff peaks if any grease or fat residue is present in the mixing bowl or beaters. Make sure all equipment is clean and dry before whipping the egg whites – wiping the bowl with vinegar also helps.
Meringues can turn out soft if they are undercooked or not given enough time to cool in the oven. Be sure to bake the meringues until they are completely dry and allow them to cool gradually.
For any other troubleshooting questions on these coconut raspberry meringue kiss cookies, feel free to leave me a comment below or message me on Instagram!
Baking in grams
While I provide volume measurements for the recipes on my blog, I highly suggest baking these recipes using weight. It is the most standardized and accurate way to bake. I carefully recipe test all of my recipes using a kitchen scale, not by using cups, and therefore I cannot guarantee the success of my recipes when using volume measurements.
Other meringue recipes you may like
- Lemon Curd Meringue Cookies
- Classic Key Lime Pie With Meringue
- S’mores Chocolate Mousse Ice Box Cake
- Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
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Coconut Raspberry Meringue Kiss Cookies
Ingredients
Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Amoretti toasted coconut extract or coconut extract
Raspberry Curd
- 2 1/2 cups (264 grams) frozen raspberries
- ~2 tablespoons lemon zest, about 2 large lemons
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
Instructions
Meringue
- Wipe down your mixing bowl with vinegar.
- Preheat oven to 225F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Prepare a piping bag with a star tip. Set aside.
- Fill a sauce pan with about two inches of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Separate the yolks from the egg whites and make sure NONE of the yolk gets into your egg white mixture. This could mess up the entire batch. Any fat will prevent stiff peaks from forming.
- In a heat proof bowl, place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Place the bowl on the sauce pan over the simmering water but do NOT let the bottom of the bowl touch the simmering water.
- Continuously whisk while the mixture heats up. It will start out thick but will thin out as you keep on whisking. Switch to a rubber spatula and use that to mix (while also scraping the sides of the bowl) for about 4-5 minutes until the mixture is thin and frothy on top – if you have a thermometer, it should be around 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use your spatula to pick up some of the mixture and let it drop in between your fingers. If you pinch it together, you shouldn't be able to feel any of the sugar granules.
- Remove from the heat. Using a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the mixture on high speed for 5-6 minutes until glossy, thick, stiff peaks form. You should be able to turn the bowl completely upside down and none of the meringue will fall out.
- Fill your piping bag with the meringue. Pipe cookies onto the baking sheet in any shape you want, although size here is important. Try your best (if you can use a scale, do it) to make each cookie the same size. This is important when it comes to the baking time – you want all cookies to be the same size so that they all cook evenly and fully. See note if you do not have piping materials.
- Bake for ABOUT an hour. It could be more – all ovens differ, elevations differ, humidity differs, the size of your meringue differs, etc., so I cannot say how long it will actually take to bake, but you should look for these clues: One. You should be able to gently lift the cookie off of the parchment paper. Two. If you tap the bottom of the cookies with your finger, it should sound hollow. Three. It should also be dry to the touch.
- Turn the oven off but leave the cookies on the pan in the oven for one hour with the door shut.
- After the hour, crack the oven door open and let them sit in the oven with the door cracked for another hour. This will help to make sure the meringues do not crack.
Raspberry Curd
- Add the frozen raspberries, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium sauce pan over low-medium heat. Stir until the raspberries are soft and have released their juices. Gently press on the raspberries with the back of a wooden spoon to release more juices, if need be.
- Strain the raspberry mix through a fine mesh strainer, gently pressing down on the raspberries inside the strainer to get as much of the mixture as possible (you should end up with about 3/4 cup or 185 grams). Scrape the underside of the strainer to get the excess liquid. Discard of the zest and raspberry seeds.
- Add the granulated sugar to the raspberry juice and whisk well to combine. Add in the eggs and whisk well. Pour the mixture into a medium-sized pot over the stove on medium heat. Continuously stir until the mixture has thickened and is bubbling. The mixture should coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Strain the mixture again for good measure into another bowl. Add the cubed butter and stir until the butter is fully melted. I usually strain once more after adding the butter just to make sure all seeds/pulp/egg residue is removed, but it is not 100% necessary if you don't want to. Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use.
- After the meringues have cooled, add a drizzle of the raspberry curd or dip the meringues into it for a delicious coating. For an extra touch, sprinkle some freeze-dried strawberries or coconut shreds on top. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe? Make sure to rate and review and tag @sturbridgebakery on Instagram!