Meringue Shell Cookies (Rakushki)

Meringue Shell Cookies

"My elder daughter, Evania is back from the UK for Christmas holidays and I thought this would be ideal not only cause Christmas is around the corner, but it would also make a good tea time snack. Meringue Shell Cookies are light and not overly sweet cookies with a soft ribbon of meringue and a crumbly centre. They are perfect for an afternoon tea. I have taken this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen. However, I have substituted sour cream with yogurt and added vanilla essence to the dough and meringue, to take away the strong smell of eggs."

Ingredients

For The Shell Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup (16 Tbsp or 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup thick yoghurt 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla esence
• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour (315 grams) *measured correctly

For the Meringue Cookie Filling:

• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cups walnut pieces (3 pieces per cookie)

Directions

How to Make the Cookie Dough:

1. !Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line a ¾ baking sheet with parchment (or 2 regular half sheets)
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add: 16 Tbsp butter, 3 egg yolks, ½ cup yogurt and mix medium/low speed just until combined. It won't be smooth. Add vanilla essence.
3. Add 2 cups flour and add the last ½ cup slowly just until dough is no longer sticking to clean fingertips. When dough is ready, turn it out onto floured work surface then wash and dry your mixing bowl and make your meringue:

How to Make Meringue Cookie Filling:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat 3 room temperature egg whites on high speed 1 minute until thick and foamy. Add vanilla essence. With the mixer on, slowly and gradually add ¾ cup sugar. Once sugar is all in, continue beating on high for 5 min or until the meringue forms stiff peaks.

How to Assemble Meringue Shell Cookies:

1. While meringue is mixing, divide cookie dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a log. Cut each log into 15 equal pieces and roll them into balls between your hands. Roll each ball with a rolling pin into a 2" diameter circle.
2. Dollop a teaspoon of meringue into the center of each round then fold the cookie n half and in half again and lay it on it's side on the lined baking sheet. Space cookies at least ½" apart.
3. Stuff 3 walnut pieces into the meringue of each cookie then bake at 350˚F for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool to room temp before dusting with powdered sugar.