Meringues were the first thing my mom taught me how to bake from scratch. Probably because it’s easy, contains very few ingredients, and of course, tastes delicious. I still remember my mom and I sitting around the kitchen table with a huge batch of egg whites and sugar. We’d slowly dollop little baby meringues onto a baking sheet while chatting nonstop. It remains a tradition today. But, I think I’ve finally moved from the student to master.

I decided to take a stab at creating a new meringue recipe for Valentine’s Day. I focused on the PB&Jelly combo, my true love. There were a couple different variations I played around with, but I think I’ve finally made a hit I’m sure you’ll fall in love with.

Meringue Cookies

• 3 egg whites at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup of unsalted dry roasted peanuts
• A dash of cinnamon
• 2 drops of pink gel food coloring
• berry syrup (see recipe below)

1. Preheat the oven at 225 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Pulverize the peanuts using a food processor and leave aside. In a small bowl, mix the salt and sugar.
3. Mix the egg whites using a stand mixture (fitted with a whisk attachment) or a handheld mixture. Add the sugar mix when the eggs become foamy. Continue to mix until the eggs form hard peaks.
4. Add the color, if desired, and mix for another few seconds.
5. Fold the peanuts into the mixture and make sure the color is spread throughout.
6. Scoop two tablespoons of meringue onto the parchment paper and flatten with the back of the spoon.
7. Drizzle the syrup onto the meringues and swivel it in with a toothpick.
8. Bake for two hours and let cool before removing them from the parchment paper.

Berry Syrup

• 6 ounces of any berry (I used a mix of blueberries and strawberries)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar

1. Place the berries, water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.
2. Smash the fruit using a potato smasher or the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Once it reaches the boiling point, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Strain the syrup and place it in the fridge to cool.

*Use the remaining syrup to make a delicious drink. Simply add a tablespoon of syrup to a glass of your favorite white wine or champagne.

Tell me, have you tried to spice up your meringues? Comment below.