Hazelnut Meringue Cookies
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. You can also use wax paper but spray with cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 250.
4 large egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (unless using pecans)
1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts (or pecans or almonds)
At low speed whip together the egg whites, salt, and lemon juice until foamy, then turn to high speed and whip until soft peaks start to form. Gradually beat in the sugar, scraping the bowl down a few times.
Lower the speed and mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat a few more minutes. The whites will start to take on a sheen and will stand in very stiff peaks when they're done. By hand, fold in the nuts.
Drop them by heaping teaspoon onto the parchment paper. If you have a device that will squeeze them out in pretty shapes you can use that too. You want them just over 1" diameter. Space them about 1 1/2 inches apart. You should get about 3 dozen cookies.
Bake for 18 minutes, then rotate the trays and bake another 18 minutes. Without opening the oven door, turn the oven off and leave the cookies in the oven another 30 minutes. Slide the whole paper onto a cutting board or counter, leaving the meringues to cool completely before trying to remove them from the paper.
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