Chocolate Meringue Meltaways

If ever I find myself with two or more leftover egg whites, or if I just want a chocolatey snack but don't have anything but cocoa powder around the house, I make chocolate meringue cookies.  They are lighter and airier than the ones you'll buy at the store, because I mostly put the sugar in for taste rather than structure.  That's why I think of them as 'meltaways' rather than your typical meringue cookies. They literally do melt away in your mouth, leaving a light chocolatey taste behind.

Again, just to be super-clear: this is NOT a copycat recipe for the meringue cookies you get at the store. They look similar, but the texture is totally different.  I love the store-bought kind as well, and this is just a fun alternative that uses less sugar but still gives you the satisfaction of a (small) chocolatey crunch.  Plus, you can eat a lot more of these without feeling like you're overdosing on sticky sweetness.

On of the reasons they are so light and airy is that I make the cookies with French meringue rather than Italian or Swiss.  It can be a bit tricky to dry them out in the oven without melting or collapsing them, but I've had quite good luck in that area.  Having made a small batch just now, here's my personal method:

Chocolate Meringue Meltaways

Ingredients

3 egg whites
dash cream of tartar (optional)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions

Step 1: Beat egg whites on highest setting (with cream of tartar) until peaks form.  Add sugar gradually, continuing to beat.  Then add cocoa powder and continue to beat until stiff, glossy, and fully incorporated.

Step 2: Transfer meringue mixture to a pastry bag.  I use an 18" vinyl bag, which is so big that I can put in all of my meringue without having to refill it halfway through, but a smaller bag or a clipped ziploc would work too.

Step 3: Extrude in small swirls onto cookie sheets prepared with parchment paper or silicone mats, if you have them.  It takes some practice to get the motion right - I don't use a tip when I make meringues, but use the natural flatness of the tipless pastry bag.   

Step 4: Bake the cookies at the lowest oven setting, around 200 degrees F.  Don't be tempted to go higher; the idea is to dry out the moisture, not actually to "cook" them.  Leave them in the oven for about two hours, until they're dried out and crisp.

Note: You can make these cookies as small or big as you like.  I tend to make them quite small, and fit them as close as possible together.  Usually I can *just* manage to fit 2 egg whites' worth onto one cookie sheet, if I pack them closely enough together.  Today I had three egg whites, so I had to go onto a second sheet.  If you do things right, they won't expand in the oven, so distance apart isn't an issue.

Enjoy!