Butterscotch Meringue Cookies

[G-rat]

Hey folks -

I am...to put it lightly...not a baker. The chemistry of many of the techniques is something I'm just starting to get my head around. I am hosting an Easter Dinner and wanted to make Butterscotch Meringue Cookies as an element in the dessert. Not having made much meringue and certainly not understanding all of how you can flavor meringue (which seems to be either with sugar syrup or various powders:cocoa, peppermint, raspberry, etc.)...can I just make a butterscotch sauce and add it as you would the simple syrup component in an Italian Meringue Recipe? Will the butter in the butterscotch sauce (1/4 cup...1/2 a stick) start to turn my stiff peaks into butter cream? Would that be a bad thing? Just could use some help with this. Thanks.

[CanadianBakin']

It depends what you're going for but if you add butter in any form I don't think you're going to be able to get a crisp meringue so maybe that's not quite what you're looking for. I haven't tried it but maybe you can make the meringues with brown sugar.

[pastrygirl]

I agree. Egg whites are deflated by mixing with fats. I'd use brown sugar and a little vanilla or dark rum.

[G-rat]

Thanks for the help folks. Now I understand a little bit more. I think I have abandoned the idea in favor of doing a 'blondie' for my component.

Thanks

[Lindacakes]

Hmmmm . . . you could have done a combo. I made a recipe, I think from the Brass sisters cookbook, that was a gooey sort of butterscotch brownie with a merengue topping. Very big hit at the poker party.

[Kouign Aman]

I'd forgotten how much fun it is to make meringues. I like the idea of trying them with brown sugar.