Candy corn is already widely available in stores, so I figured that was probably a good sign that I could start posting candy corn related stuff on my blog. It’s never too soon for candy corn, right? Of course, when I say it’s widely available in stores, I mean at least I’m told it is in the US anyway. We don’t have that kind of thing here in Norway. AT ALL. And good luck trying to sell the idea to people that weren’t raised with it: “There’s this fantastic multicolored candy called candy corn and sure, it’s made out of a sort of wax but that’s OK because it’s edible wax. And it tastes like, um, marshmallow… kind of… I guess it really doesn’t have much flavor… But it’s fun to eat! Although now that we’re talking about it I’m not really sure why…” It’s right up there with trying to explain Groundhog’s Day without making it sound totally crazy (seriously, just try convincing a non-American that it’s not a crazy holiday). But for one reason or another, I still love candy corn and it just wouldn’t be fall (or Halloween) without some sort of candy corn treats!
Candy Corn Meringue Swirls
Makes 40 one inch meringues
For the meringues:
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. clear vanilla extract
Gel food coloring in orange and yellow
I feel like I should preface this recipe with the fact that it is SUPER easy to make (and I mean like super super easy), but it will take about 4-6 hours of baking at a very low temperature. So although it’s the perfect easy dessert to whip up the day before, it’s not great if you need something in an hour. To make the meringues, whisk your egg whites and granulated sugar together in a bowl over a pot of boiling water until the sugar dissolves. You can test this by sticking a finger in and seeing if you can still feel granules. Once all of the granules have dissolved, remove your bowl from the pot of boiling water and beat it on high until stiff peaks form (you’ll want to add your vanilla extract right before it reaches stiff peaks).
Evenly divide your meringue between three bowls. Color one yellow, one orange, and leave the other white. Be sure that you’re gently folding in the food coloring so you don’t break down the meringue and make it runny.
To fill your piping bag, lay out a piece of plastic cling wrap and add your 3 colors of meringues to it by making a line of each, one right next to the other. Gently fold each side of your cling wrap up and over your meringue, twisting the ends to seal them.
Drop the plastic wrapped meringue into your piping bag, and pipe your meringues onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet (you can use whatever tip you’d like to pipe you meringues, but I personally used a large star tip).
Bake the meringues at 200*F (95*C) for 4-6 hours, or until the meringues can easily be peeled off of the parchment paper without sticking.
For the most part, I don’t think it’s ever too early to get in the mood for holidays like Halloween and Christmas. Well, to a point anyway (everything for Christmas here in Norway goes up in October… I’m going to say that’s a little too early…). When do you think holiday stuff should start appearing, either in stores or at home? What’s too early in your book? Join the conversation in the comments below!
Happy baking!
Meringue recipe adapted from Miette
katjeter says
September 3, 2014 at 6:41 pmLove these! So pretty! Thanks for sharing 🙂
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 4, 2014 at 10:53 pmSo glad you like them! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Sue says
September 3, 2014 at 7:53 pmThese are so dang cute! They look very fresh 🙂
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 4, 2014 at 10:54 pmThank you! I’m really glad you like them! 🙂
Ginnie says
September 3, 2014 at 9:43 pmThese are gorgeous! I’ve always wanted to try piping with more than one color, and you make it seem easy:)
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 4, 2014 at 10:56 pmI think it’s definitely one of those techniques that looks much more complicated than it actually is. And it’s certainly easier if you use the plastic wrap to roll it up rather than trying to just fill the piping bag (seriously, people that can actually do that are skilled!). You’ll have to let me know how it turns out if you try it! 🙂
Tammi says
September 4, 2014 at 2:43 amThese are beautiful! I pinned them because they are too lovely to not share. You make them look so easy too.
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 4, 2014 at 10:56 pmThank you for such a sweet comment! 🙂
liztiptopshape says
September 4, 2014 at 3:13 amI love these!!! Candy corn is one of my favorite parts of Fall. I eat way too much of it – but, hey, it only comes around once a year!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 4, 2014 at 10:57 pmIs there really such a thing as too much candy corn? Ok, well maybe, but I’ve certainly never reached that point. 😛 Long live candy corn!
Natashalh says
September 4, 2014 at 6:09 amThese are so adorable! I made literally about 150 meringues in July. I wonder if it’s been long enough since then for my husband to be okay with even more…
Visiting from Create it Thursday!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 4, 2014 at 11:02 pm150 meringues?? I think I might just be tired of meringues too after that! 😉 If I remember correctly, you were making them for a wedding, right? But we’re into a whole ‘nother season now so I think you could definitely whip up a few more. 😉
Elise @frugalfarmwife.com says
September 4, 2014 at 10:17 pmSo beautiful! I love meringues… and candy corn… and fall colors. total win! Here’s hoping my meringues look half as pretty!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 4, 2014 at 11:05 pmI’m sure your meringues will turn out gorgeously! 🙂
Vanessa @ Vanessa Baked says
September 5, 2014 at 3:32 pmGorgeous candy corn inspired perfection!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 7, 2014 at 11:33 amThank you! 🙂
MJ says
September 6, 2014 at 10:08 amI love these! I have to try this at home 🙂 might not have the right colours, but I can make them purple and black instead or so. Thanx for sharing!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 7, 2014 at 11:35 amAbsolutely! You could easily take this recipe and technique and adapt it to pretty much every season/occasion. I know I probably will. 😉
Liberti says
September 7, 2014 at 3:53 amVisiting from TT&J link up party!
These are so fun! I love how you made the colors work together, a fun festive addition!
🙂 Liberti
http://www.loaly.com
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 7, 2014 at 11:43 amThanks so much for stopping by and leaving a sweet comment! 🙂
Bernadyn Nettles (B) says
September 7, 2014 at 4:18 amWhat a great idea, I don’t think it’s too early for candy corn either since September is here. I never thought about that but it is a little confusing to explain what candy corn is and how popular it is to someone who didn’t grow up with it! Pinning this and saying G’Day from Say G’Day Saturday! Now following you on G+ 🙂
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 7, 2014 at 11:45 amI never thought about it, either, until I moved to Norway and found myself struggling to explain some of the foods and traditions that we totally take for granted in the US. But I think it’s a pretty universal problem; there are definitely foods and traditions that Norwegians try to explain to me that I don’t understand the appeal of!
bloominghomestead says
September 7, 2014 at 5:41 amThese are fabulous and so beautiful too! So glad you linked up at our Creative Collection Link Party. 🙂
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 7, 2014 at 11:46 amThank you! And thanks for hosting such a fun link party each week! 🙂
Amy says
September 8, 2014 at 4:51 pmWow, these look great! I may try these this Fall. My boys love candy corns!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 8, 2014 at 8:32 pmI hope you give them a try! You’ll have to let me know what you think of them! 🙂
Noorah says
September 9, 2014 at 5:20 pmGorgeous
Thanx for sharing
Could you tell me how low is the temperature ,what degree?
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 9, 2014 at 7:17 pm200* Fahrenheit (95* Celsius). 🙂
balmtomysoul says
September 10, 2014 at 6:12 pmClaire, these are just so beautiful. You make it look easy (and I am sure it is a little more complicated) but I am pinning and going to make my best attempt!!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 11, 2014 at 6:35 amAs long as you whip them long enough to stiffen, meringues are really easy! I promise! And they’re so easy to color and change with the time of year. Can’t wait to hear how it goes. 🙂
Nikki @ Tikkido says
September 12, 2014 at 1:57 amI love these little cuties! And I prefer meringues to actual candy corns any day!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 18, 2014 at 8:41 pmI’m so glad you like them! And as someone who loves candy corn, these may just be better than the real deal. 😉
Laura@Baking In Pyjamas says
September 14, 2014 at 3:20 pmI love these, they are so pretty and such a fantastic idea! This has been featured as one of my favourites over at Sweet and Savoury Sunday. Stop by, grab a button and link up again with us this week. Have a great day!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 18, 2014 at 8:43 pmThanks for the sweet feature! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
SakuraMari says
September 29, 2014 at 11:24 pmClaire,
Do you think honey would work instead of sugar? Or would that make it gooey and not set up? I’m asking because of diabetes, and finding things that are sweet, but small, for an occasional treat is not easy. To complicate things, I would rather make my own treats, because they taste better. Thanks!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 29, 2014 at 11:34 pmI totally understand! One of my husband’s best friends is diabetic, so we definitely have take that into account when making goodies for him. Unfortunately, honey wouldn’t work the same in meringues as it might in other sweets; it would make the meringues gummy and they wouldn’t reach that stiff peak state they need to. That being said, artificial sweeteners are a good alternative to sugar if you’re looking to make a diabetic-friendly meringue. Hope that helps! 🙂
Erin says
September 30, 2014 at 1:51 pmIf I’m making these for a party, how much in advance can I made them? Will they last a week in an air tight container? Also, I’m guessing I shouldn’t refrigerate? (It seems like such a silly question, but I have to ask!)
This looks soooooo good! Can’t wait to try them!
The Simple, Sweet Life says
September 30, 2014 at 3:10 pmReally good questions! 🙂 With meringues, storage can be kind of tricky because they tend to latch on and absorb any moisture around them. Because of this, it’s best to make them as close as you can to the day they’ll be served. That being said, I totally understand wanting to make them in advance. Once you’ve baked them and they’ve cooled to room temperature, pack them into an air tight container. If you live in a particularly humid place, it might be a good idea to wrap them in plastic wrap or bag them in air tight plastic bags in addition to putting them in an air tight container (it may sound like overkill but I promise it’s not). I’ve heard you can freeze meringues to make them last longer, but I’m afraid I don’t have any personal experience with that.
Mickey Jo says
October 12, 2014 at 8:11 amwell I was all excited until I seen it is done with egg whites. I can only have the yolk. grrrr
The Simple, Sweet Life says
October 27, 2014 at 8:23 pmOh no! Unfortunately egg whites (or egg white powder) are a necessary part of making meringues. 🙁 But there are lots of other recipes where you could get away without using egg whites. 🙂
Pat says
November 11, 2014 at 11:15 pmThese look so cute! I would like to make some for Thanksgiving. How long tdo they last and how do you store them? Can they be made ahea of time.
The Simple, Sweet Life says
November 14, 2014 at 10:53 pmYou can absolutely make meringues in advance, and they keep best when stored in an air-tight container. How long you can make them in advance, however, will depend on your climate/weather. Meringues are very sensitive to moisture, so high humidity reduces their self-life drastically. Where I live, we typically have 60-70% humidity on any given day, and my meringues usually last 2-3 days if I store them really well in air-tight containers and baggies (I like to use both just to be on the safe side). I hope that helps point you in the right direction! 🙂
corey says
November 24, 2014 at 8:57 pmThese look great! Im wanting to make some for the holidays (in red and green) but im wondering how to store these after they’re cooled? Thanks ♡
The Simple, Sweet Life says
November 24, 2014 at 11:25 pmOh, sounds like a great holiday twist! I plan on posting some Christmas inspired ones myself in the not-too-distant future! 🙂 To answer your question, the best way to store baked meringues is in as air-tight a place as possible. How long they last will depend on things like how humid of a climate you live in. I live in a fairly humid place with 60-70% humidity on any given day, and I find my meringues last about 3 days, maybe a little longer if I bag them AND put them in an air-tight container. 🙂
Donna says
December 3, 2014 at 5:55 amDo you cut one end of the cling wrap before dropping in the piping bag?
The Simple, Sweet Life says
December 4, 2014 at 12:41 amI usually cut the end of the cling wrap once I have the whole thing in my piping bag. I find that minimizes my chances of dripping meringue out the shorter end. 🙂