Coffee Meringue Kisses

Ingredients

3/4 cup (165g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1/4 cup (60mL) water
1 egg white
1 tsp malt vinegar
2 tswp cornflour (cornstarch)

Coffee butter cream:

1 tsp instant coffee granules
2 tsp hot water
2 tesp coffee-flavoured liqueur
60g unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (110g) icing (confectioners) sugar

Method

Pre-heat oven to 120 C/250 F. Grease four oven trays; line with baking paper.

Combine sugar, coffee and the water in small saucepan; stir over heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil; remove pan from heat.

Meanwhile, combine egg white, vinegar and cornflour in small heatproof bowl; beat with electric mixer until foamy. With motor operating, add hot syrup to egg white in a thin, steady stream; beat about 10 minutes or until mixture is thick.

Spoon meringue into piping bag fitted with 5mm fluted tube; pipe meringues, about 2.5cm in diameter, about 3cm apart, on trays. Bake about 30 minutes or until dry to touch. Cool on trays.

Meanwhile, make coffee butter cream. Sandwich meringues with butter cream just before serving.

Coffee butter cream:

Dissolve coffee in the water; add liqueur. Beat butter and sifted icing sugar until light and fluffy; beat in coffee mixture.

Credits: "Sweet Treats" by ACP Books