Noodle Cookies - Russian Pecan Meringues

Noodle Cookies – Russian Pecan Meringues

February 24, 2017

Russian Pecan Meringues – You may have never heard of Noodle Cookies before, but they come from a long tradition of dishes and desserts made with noodles, nuts, eggs and sugar. My Ukrainian grandmother used broad noodles to prepare Kugel with cinnamon. The Ukraine has a definitive noodle history. As far back as the 16th and 17th century, evidence shows that noodles began to appear in Russian cuisine. Even earlier, noodles were known to exist in third century AD China. Today, handmade noodles with eggs are rolled and crisped in the oven, folded into a brown sugar pecan meringue, then baked into a crunchy cookie. Be generous when you hand them out to children and neighbours, family and friends. There won’t be a crumb of disappointment anywhere.

Thank you Olia Hercules for including this recipe in your book Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe. It’s a real winner of a cookie.

The Finer Cookie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for websites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post contains affiliate links, which means The Finer Cookie will receive a small commission if

Ingredients

Makes 25-30 cookies

Noodle Ingredients

  • 6 108 grams 3.8 ounces egg yolks
  • 4 teaspoons 4 teaspoons 4 teaspoons granulated white sugar
  • 3 tablespoons 58.5 grams 2 ounces sunflower or safflower oil
  • 1 1/3 cup 166 grams 5.8 ounces bleached all purpose flour
  • 1-2 tablespoons 1-2 tablespoons 1-2 tablespoons tepid water (as needed)

Pecan Meringue Ingredients

  • 4 large 140 grams 5 ounces egg whites at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup 132 grams 4.5 ounces white granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup 145.3 grams 5.1 ounces light brown sugar very soft and lump free
  • 3 cups 594 grams 21 ounces pecans coarsely chopped

Instructions

Mise en Place the Noodle Dough

  • What is mise en place and how could it benefit you? See The Finer Cookie’s post How to Mise en Place.
  • Separate eggs yolks and place them in a bowl of a stand mixer. Reserve the egg whites in a liquid measuring cup. Read more on how to separate eggs here.
  • Combine egg yolks, sugar, and oil in a bowl with a dough whisk or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the beater attachment.
Mix the noodle dough by hand or in a stand mixer.
Mix the noodle dough by hand or in a stand mixer.
  • Measure the flour in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 300F/150C.
  • Line three baking trays with parchment paper or a baking liner.
  • Chop the pecans and spread them onto a prepared baking tray.
  • Toast the pecans in the 300F oven for 30 minutes or until toasty and dry. Set aside to cool completely.

Assemble the Noodle Dough

  • Very gradually, add the flour to the liquid ingredients and beat until the dry ingredients are moistened and a dough ball forms.
  • Pinch the dough. If it holds together easily, then dump the dough onto your counter and knead it until smooth and elastic. If the dough isn’t supple and won’t roll easily, then add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the dough is no longer dry.
Noodle dough is soft and pliable.
Noodle dough is soft and pliable.

Notes on the Noodle Dough

  • Egg yolks will create a very dry and crispy noodle when baked. The noodle will also stay crispy in the meringue batter and in the baked cookie. The oil will make the dough supple and easy to roll.

Roll and Cut the Noodles

  • Roll out the noodle dough into a square or round, about 1/8″ thick. Rolling thinner than this will change the texture of the finished cookie. The dough could feel a bit oily. Sprinkle a little flour to prevent sticking.
Sprinkle flour over the dough to give it more body and keep it from sticking.
Sprinkle flour over the dough to give it more body and keep it from sticking.
  • Roll the dough into a tight cylinder.
Roll the noodle dough for easier cutting.
Roll the noodle dough for easier cutting.
  • With a chef’s knife, cut the dough crosswise into very thin slices, as thin as possible.
Slice the noodle dough as thin as possible.
Slice the noodle dough as thin as possible.
  • Toss the threads to open them up and spread them on your prepared baking tray.
Open the coiled noodles and spread them on your tray.
Open the coiled noodles and spread them on your tray.

Bake the noodles at 300F for 20-25 minutes

  • In a 300F oven, bake the tray of noodles for about 20-25 minutes. You are looking for a dry, well toasted noodle.
  • Remove the noodles to a dry kitchen towel to absorb any remaining moisture.
  • Let the noodles cool completely.

Mise en Place the Pecan Meringue

  • Lower the oven temperature to 250F.
  • Combine the brown and white sugars and break up any lumps you find. Set aside.
  • Warm the egg whites to be slightly warmer than your finger. You can do this in the microwave on very low heat for 30-45 seconds at a time.
  • Combine the dry noodles and pecans and set aside.
Toss the baked and dried noodles with the toasted pecans before whipping the meringue.
Toss the baked and dried noodles with the toasted pecans before whipping the meringue.

Whip the Meringue

  • Whisk the egg whites until very soft peaks. Click here to learn more about how to whip meringue.
  • Add the sugar gradually and continue to whip until you get a firm mixture. The meringue will be glossy and will look a little like marshmallow.
The merinue and brown sugar will look like marshmallow.
The merinue and brown sugar will look like marshmallow.
  • Scrape out the meringue into your large, dry bowl and add the noodles and pecans to the meringue.
Fold the noodles and pecans into the meringue.
Fold the noodles and pecans into the meringue.
  • Gently fold the ingredients together. It might seem that there are too many noodles and pecans for the meringue, but this is correct. The meringue will stretch and hold the cookie together.
  • Continue to fold just until combined.

Bake the Noodle Cookies at 250F for about 1 hour

  • Scoop out the cookie batter using two large tablespoons. You should have three trays of 9 cookies.
Noodle cookie scooped and ready for the oven.
Noodle cookie scooped and ready for the oven.
  • If your oven only accommodates two trays, leave the batter at room temperature until you’re ready to bake the third tray. You’ll be pleased to know that the crispy noodles won’t go soggy while waiting.
  • Bake at 250F for about 1 hour until golden and crisp.
Noodle Cookies, The Finer Cookie.
Noodle Cookies, The Finer Cookie.

 

 

Subscribe

Keep up to date with our latest offers & news.