Yes Sarah, it’s true. We don’t have to travel far to find angels with hearts of gold. Especially at this time of year.

One walked in my front door this morning.

After she said hello, she went straight to the kitchen. Without a word, she opened the cookie jar, grabbed a freshly made Angel Kiss and gave one to her niece who was with her.

“Here try this. It’s Nancy’s Christmas baking,” she said to her niece.

She popped the cookie in her mouth and broke into a beautiful smile.

“Will you teach me how to make these things?” She asked with wonder in her eye. “I just love them.”

So for my dear friend and all of you,  here is my simple recipe for Angel Kisses.

Artwork by Ava

Angel Kisses                                      

2 eggs whites at room temperature

8 tablespoons white granulated sugar (superfine if you have it)

1-teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 250° F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Beat eggs whites until stiff but not too dry. Then add sugar, SLOWLY, a tablespoon at a time, beating constantly. Add the vanilla about half way through the beating.

The eggs white should now stand up in little peaks, like angel wings. Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls on the prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with stardust (coloured sugar.)

Bake for about an hour until they are a very pale golden. WATCH carefully (timing depends on the size.)

Turn OFF the oven and leave the cookies in the oven to dry out for two or three hours.

Enjoy the season. It’s the time to look for hearts of gold, and angels. I’ll look forward to your stories and comments.

There are not hundreds of them. It’s not like you meet them everyday when you’re travelling. But there are people with hearts of gold. And there are angels. One day I’ll write about them. But for this week, to honour the angels in my life, and people I’ve met with hearts of gold, here is a favourite family recipe.

Like angels, this is simple and just little bit different – heavenly and sure to be memorable.

Angel Pie

Preheat the oven to 275ºF. Line a small pizza pan with parchment paper.

4 eggs separated

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup of whipping cream

1/3 cup icing sugar

The Meringue.

Combine egg whites and cream of tarter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric beater until soft peaks form. SLOWLY beat in 1 cup of sugar and continue beating the egg whites until the peaks are stiff and shiny. Spread the mixture on the parchment paper, lining the pizza pan, to make about a ten-inch round base. Bake for an hour or until very lightly brown and firm to touch. Cool. This is your base. Don’t worry if the meringue is cracked or falls apart, just push it back together.

The Lemon Custard.

In a small saucepan beat the egg yolks until they are pale yellow and thick. SLOWLY beat in the rest of the sugar (i.e. ½ cup) Add the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat STIRRING CONSTANTLY until the mixture thickens. This is your lemon custard.

The Assembly.

Spread the lemon custard on the cooked meringue shell. Whip the cream, adding icing sugar to taste (I hardly add any sugar to the whipping cream.) Spread over the top and decorate, as you like, perhaps with a couple of thin lemon slices or two or three strawberries. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. I place it on a pretty serving dish, and cut it at the table.
Best wishes for a peaceful holiday          season.

Artwork by Ava

Coming next:  My blogging resolutions