Lina Takahashi Eats
I made this recipe from wanting to recreate these black sesame walnut meringue cookies that my friend got in Yamagata. It is crispy on the outside, fluffy and airy on the inside and the black sesame walnut add the most delicious toasty crunch!
My friend who is leaving Tokyo is OBSESSED with meringue cookies and I had to make them for her as a little parting gift :’). I kind of wish I made these for her earlier because I want her to try making different flavors of meringue cookies now — who knew they are so easy to make!
I love that I can make these with 1 egg white because I often have leftover egg whites after making custard or using an egg yolk in my natto (if you’ve never tried this combo, it is life changing!).
EGG WHITE: When you separate your egg yolk and white, be sure to avoid getting any egg yolk in in the egg white or else you won’t get a fluffy meringue. I have also found that letting my egg yolk come to room temperature helps to get a fluffier meringue faster.
SUGAR: I recommend using a fine caster sugar, but granulated sugar works fine if that’s all you have. Add your sugar 1 spoonful at a time to get the most smooth meringue that won’t deflate quickly.
CREAM OF TARTAR: This helps to stabilize your meringue! Cream of tartar make this recipe fool-proof.
VANILLA BEAN PASTE: I love using vanilla bean paste to get the vanilla bean specks in these cookies but vanilla oil or extract works fine if you just want the vanilla flavor — you may just not get as rich of a flavor.
SALT: Adding a little pinch of salt to desserts helps to enhance the sweetness!
BLACK SESAME: I added 1 tbsp because I think the more the better, but if you only want a little bit, feel free to add 1/2 tbsp.
WALNUTS: I used caramelized walnuts for these but feel free to use regular walnuts if that is all you have! Still will give these cookies a toasty flavor which is so delicious with the black sesame.