Family Christmas Recipes: Meringues and Bow Ties

Family Recipes: Making Use of Every Egg

At Christmas, the kitchen becomes a place of both tradition and practicality. These two family cookies have long been made together, filling the house with familiar rhythms, memories, and a reminder that nothing — especially at Christmas — needs to go to waste. They’ve been paired together in our Kitchens for as long as I can remember.

Some of my favourite family recipes weren’t just about taste — they were about usefulness.

When I was growing up, nothing was wasted lightly in the kitchen. If a recipe used egg yolks, there was always another one waiting to make use of the whites. Baking felt practical, thoughtful, and quietly resourceful — lessons passed down without ever being labelled as such.

Two of those recipes have stayed with me for decades, and they’re still often made side by side in my kitchen today.

Meringue Kisses

(For the Egg Whites)

As a child, the best part of making these little meringue kisses was choosing the colours and sprinkles. Now, I appreciate them just as much for another reason — they’re a simple, pretty way to use up extra egg whites.

They keep well, look lovely on a dessert tray, and feel a bit festive no matter the season.

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
  or ½ tsp vanilla + ½ tsp lemon juice
• Optional: ⅔ cup chopped nuts
• Optional: food colouring, sprinkles, or crystal sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C).
2. Beat egg whites and salt until foamy.
3. Add sugar one teaspoon at a time, beating continuously, until the mixture becomes very stiff and glossy.
4. Beat in flavouring.
5. If using nuts, gently fold them in.
6. Divide and colour the meringue if desired.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Drop meringue by spoonfuls, creating a small swirl or curl at the top if you like.
9. Add sprinkles or sugar before baking.
10. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let cool inside — even overnight.

Bow Ties (Chruściki)

(For the Egg Yolks)

These delicate fried cookies hold some of my fondest kitchen memories. I learned to make them with my mother and my Polish grandmother, long before I ever saw them appear on television cooking shows.

They’re simple, crisp, and lightly sweet — and they use up the egg yolks left behind from other baking.

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp brandy
• About 1½ cups flour

Method

1. Mix the first five ingredients together.
2. Gradually add flour until you have a soft, workable dough.
3. Roll the dough thin on a lightly floured surface.
4. Cut into narrow strips.
5. Cut a small slit in the centre of each strip.
6. Pull one end through the slit to form a knot or bow.
7. Deep fry in hot oil until golden and crisp.
8. Dust lightly with icing sugar while still hot.

Storage Tip

These keep well at room temperature but are sensitive to humidity. I store them in a cookie tin layered with paper towel.

Nothing Wasted

I still smile when I think about how one recipe smoothly leads to the other.

Egg yolks become bow ties.

Egg whites become kisses.

It’s a small thing, but it carries the kind of wisdom I value most — care, practicality, and the understanding that food connects us across generations.

A Note for Modern Kitchens

I still make these recipes much the same way they were taught to me, but a few small adjustments can make them easier in today’s kitchens.

• Meringue kisses:
  Use very clean bowls and beaters. Superfine sugar dissolves more easily, and a pinch of cream of tartar can help stabilize the egg whites. On humid days, let the meringues cool completely in the oven to keep them crisp.
• Bow ties (chruściki):
  Roll the dough very thin — it puffs slightly when cooked. Fry in a neutral oil at about 350°F (175°C) and work in small batches for best results.
• Air fryer option (experimental):
  These are traditionally fried, but they can be adapted. Lightly brush with oil and air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 3–5 minutes, turning once. The texture is different — more crisp than delicate — but still enjoyable.
• Storage tip:
  Both cookies keep best in an airtight tin. Adding a layer of paper towel helps protect against humidity.

•