Description
Delight in the delicate sweetness of Meringue and Raspberry Baskets, also known as ‘Korzinki’ – a traditional Russian treat featuring crisp buttery baskets filled with luscious raspberry preserves and topped with light, airy meringue. Perfect for holidays or special occasions, these cookies combine a tender shortbread base with a sweet, fluffy meringue topping, creating a delightful texture and vibrant flavor contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 3 eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1/2 lb, at room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups good raspberry preserves
Meringue Topping
- 6 egg whites (at room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature eggs and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add in the softened butter, baking soda, and mayonnaise, mixing well to ensure a creamy texture. Gradually blend in the all-purpose flour until a soft dough forms. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes to make it easier to handle.
- Shape the baskets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Take small portions of dough and form them into thin circles or biscuit shapes. Carefully mold each circle over a greased muffin tin cup to create basket shapes, ensuring the dough covers both the bottom and sides evenly. Bake them in the oven for 10 minutes or until they are a light golden color. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.
- Prepare the meringue: While the basket bases are baking, beat the egg whites with lemon juice in a clean mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar while continuing to beat until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
- Assemble the baskets: Once the basket shells have cooled, fill each basket with about a teaspoon or more of raspberry preserves. Using a piping bag or spoon, top the filled baskets generously with the prepared meringue.
- Final bake: Return the assembled baskets to the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes at the same temperature until the meringue is set and lightly golden on top. Remove and cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Ensure all eggs are at room temperature to achieve the best volume in meringue and dough texture.
- Mayonnaise in the dough helps retain moisture and tenderness in the cookies.
- You can substitute raspberry preserves with any other fruit preserves of your choice.
- Be careful not to overbake the meringue to keep it soft and marshmallow-like inside.
- These baskets can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days for optimal freshness.
