Chocolate Almond Meringues
Light, crisp cocoa-almond meringues studded with bits of bittersweet chocolate. Naturally gluten-free, melt-in-your-mouth, and lovely with coffee.
Servings: 36 meringues
Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup finely ground almonds
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 4 large egg whites at room temperature
- salt a pinch
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup very finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Position racks at the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, ground almonds and cocoa. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat in the sugar one tablespoon at a time, continuing until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla, then use a spatula to gently fold in the almond mixture and the chopped chocolate.
- Drop the meringues by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheets (or, if you're feeling fancypants, pipe them into pretty "kisses" with a pastry bag). Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°F (95°C) and bake 1 hour more. Cool to room temperature before removing from the pans. Store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
Room-temp whites: They whip to greater volume; make sure the bowl is completely grease-free.
Add sugar slowly: One tablespoon at a time builds a stable, glossy meringue with stiff peaks.
Low and slow: The long bake at 200°F dries them to a crisp, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Keep them dry: Store in a cool, dry place; humidity makes meringues weep and soften.
Nutrition
Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 20mg | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 5mg