Meringue Bites

 

Like most home cooks I always have egg whites in my refrigerator. This weekend I decided it was time to use them up and I immediately knew I wanted to make meringue cookies. At first I wasn't sure what flavor I wanted to make but I quickly settled on chocolate and espresso. For those of you who have never had a meringue cookie they are incredibly light and airy, crispy on the outside and soft like marshmallow on the inside. I decided to make them bite-size but there is no reason why you can't make them bigger, in fact most people do.

Makes about 48 bite-size cookies

Ingredients:

4 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (can substitute salt or use a copper bowl)

1 cup superfine sugar (if you don't have superfine sugar, sometimes called caster sugar, use a food processor to the grind the sugar - takes about one minute)

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

*Note: While I love this recipe, my favorite meringue cookie is cinnamon flavored. To make make cinnamon meringue bites, replace the cocoa and espresso powder with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and replace the vanilla extract with equal amounts of almond extract. 

The egg whites will not whip up if they come in contact with any fat. As such you need to make sure your bowl and whisk are very clean and that there is absolutely no yolk in the whites. 

Preheat your oven to its lowest setting (about 200F/95C).

Using a stand (or hand) mixer, start whisking the whites on medium speed. When they start to foam add the cream of tartar and continue whisking until they form soft peaks. You know you are at the soft peak stage when the peaks fall over right away when you lift the whisk from the bowl. 

Turn up the speed and start adding the sugar one tablespoon at a time, you can add it a little faster in the beginning. Continue whisking until the sugar is incorporated and stiff peaks have formed. You are at the stiff peak stage when the peaks stand up when you lift the whisk from the bowl. You should also run a bit of the meringue through your fingers, if you feel grit the sugar has not completely dissolved and you need to continue whisking. When the sugar is dissolved and incorporated add the vanilla extract, cocoa powder and espresso powder. Whisk for another minute or two to incorporate. 

To shape the meringues you have a few options. The simplest way is to use a teaspoon to drop them on a baking sheet. You could of course use a piping bag or do like I do and use a ziploc bag to pipe them. Be sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Bake for one hour and then turn off the heat and leave them in the oven for at least another hour. You can actually leave them overnight - they are sometimes called "forgotten cookies." When they are done the outside should be crisp and the insides soft like marshmallow. The will melt in your mouth.

Bon appetit!