"DAT'S NOT A COOKIE!!!"

These meringue citrus swirls where on Martha's May cover.  Intimidating??  Just a little.

Photo Source: Martha Stewart

Now, I've never made meringue.  But it's super easy and those orange swirls?  So simple.  In addition to the recipe in the magazine, Martha has a video instruction which was helpful.  Here's the link:  http://www.marthastewart.com/899362/meringue-swirls

Pretty close to Martha's, right?

Now, Martha says to cook these little guys at 200 degrees for an hour and quarter or until they're crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  At an hour and 45 minutes they were still very soft and weren't much better at 2 hours.  Then my patience ran out and I jacked up the heat.  A lot.  I just wanted to press fast forward a little - I couldn't nurse meringue all day.  But then I got distracted.  I dressed Benjamin after his bath and played matchbox cars with him.  I remembered the little buggers just in the nick of time.  The ones on the lower level of the oven didn't fare so well.  The others were definitely passable.  Plus, lemon meringue pie is always scorched just a little, right?  Then, I'd consider these done perfectly.

Not quite as pretty post oven...

As I was frantically trying to salvage them from the oven, Ben sidles up and says "yeah, I didn't think jacking up the heat was a good idea."  Umm... thanks, Ben.  That's super helpful.  I should also mention I've never seen this guy bake anything.  Ever.

As for the taste test, I thought they were actually pretty good and if I were the tea party type these would be perfect.  They had a very faint citrus taste and were very light and airy.  Ben "wasn't a fan" (needless to say he wasn't winning any points with me) and after Benjamin's dinner I asked him whether he'd like a cookie to which I got I enthusiastic "YES!"  He took a bite, spat it out, pointed at it accusingly, and said "DAT'S NOT A COOKIE!"  He then retched several times for dramatic effect.  This kid's going to win an Oscar one day.

Ali