Recipe/ingredents list

Winter in the Woodlands Tea Party Chocolate Bark & Meringue Mushrooms

Method

Please note that the Meringues take 2 hours to dry out completely! They keep well in a tupperware, if

you would like you can make them on one day and decorate them the next.

For Chocolate Bark

1. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, set aside.

2. Place your chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, microwave for 1 minute on High.

3. Stir chocolate to even consistency, microwaving more if not entirely melted.

4. Transfer chocolate to a piping bag, cut tip about 1⁄4” wide.

5. Pipe chocolate onto a parchment lined sheet pan, first making a rough rectangle “bark” shape and then giving the rectangle “branches”.

6. Use a fork or toothpick to make a bark pattern on the chocolate rectangle.

7. For more texture additional chocolate can be piped on top as the base layer cools.

8. Sprinkle crushed candy cane and powdered sugar on top, as desired

For Meringue Mushrooms, tops and stems

1. Preheat oven to 225F.

2. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper, set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.

4. In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla or other flavoring.

5. Whip the egg whites on medium-low speed for 1 minute, the increase to medium-high speed for an additional minute.

6. With the mixer still on medium-high, gradually add the sugar mix and whip 1-3 minutes. You are looking for glossy stiff peaks and no gritty texture.

7. Place half the meringue into a piping bag and pipe mushroom tops on one sheet pan.

8. Place remaining meringue into piping bag and pipe mushroom stems on a separate sheet pan.

9. Place both sheet pans on the same rack in the oven, bake for 1-hour, rotating pans halfway through.

10. Turn the oven off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon, allowing the meringues to completely dry for an additional hour (2 hours if humid weather).

Decorating Mushrooms

1. Once meringues are dry, use a small knife to create an indent in the underside of the mushroom tops. *Optional: use food color pens to create pattern on mushroom tops.

2. Melt a small amount of chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Use a piping bag or fork to place chocolate in the mushroom top indent. Pick a mushroom stem and “glue” the meringue pieces together.

3. When chocolate has set, dust mushrooms with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.

4. You may use additional melted chocolate to combine your chocolate logs and mushrooms or use additional chocolate to adhere more crushed candy cane as desired.

Ingredients

For Chocolate Bark

• 1 8oz Bag Chocolate melting wafers or Chocolate Chips*

*can be dark, milk, white or a combination

For Meringue Mushrooms

• 3⁄4 Cup Sugar*

• 2 Teaspoons Corn Starch

• 1/8 Teaspoon Salt

• 4 Large Egg Whites*

• 1⁄4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

• 3⁄4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, or other liquid

• flavoring

For Vegan Variation:

For chocolate logs use vegan chocolate

For meringue use 1/3 cup Aquafaba (liquid from

a can of chickpeas) and 1⁄2 cup sugar in place of

regular recipe egg whites and sugar

For Decorating

• Additional chocolate left over from logs

• 2-3 Candy Canes, crushed

• Cocoa Powder, for dusting

• Powdered Sugar, for dusting

• *Optional Food Color Pens

Tools

• Parchment Paper

• 2-3 Sheet pans

• 2 Piping bags

• 2 Spatulas

• Wooden Spoon

• Fork or Toothpicks

• Small Knife

• 2 Small Microwave-Safe Bowls

• Hand Mixer and Large Bowl or Stand Mixer

• Sifter for dusting