Chocolate Nut Meringues Recipes

CHOCOLATE NUT MERINGUES

Steps:

• beat egg whites until stiff peaks form in a glass or aluminum bowl.
• fold in sugar and cocoa, mixing well.
• fold in nuts (if using them).
• using a spoon and a spatula place ~2 T lumps of the batter on an un-greased baking sheet. This is key--there must be no fat that touches the batter or else the meringues will collapse.
• bake at 200F for several hours (welcome suggestions on temp and time). I usually bake them for 2+ hours and then let them sit in the oven for several more hours until the insides are not gooey.

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE NUT MERINGUE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Load nut meringue into a pastry bag fitted with the plain tip. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Pipe a little meringue into each corner to secure paper. Pipe out 6 3-inch disks on each pan, letting the meringue fall from the tip. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes until lightly colored and firm. Allow to cool and remove parchment by peeling it off. You will have 12 disks.
• Place cream in medium heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and stir in chopped chocolate. Set aside to melt for five minutes, then whisk until smooth and place in the mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle. Beat at medium speed until cooled and light. Load ganache into a pastry bag fitted with medium star tip.
• Lay out 4 meringue disks in front of you, flat side down. Pipe out spiral of ganache to completely cover disks. Place 4 mote disks on top and pipe out more ganache the same way. Top with remaining four disks and pipe ganache rosette on top of each. Allow to sit at room temperature 2 hours before serve for texture and flavors to mellow. Serve.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until the egg whites are stiff and shiny and the sugar granules cannot be felt in the whites. Beat in the vanilla, reduce speed to low and add cocoa until combined. With a spatula put the egg white mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 2-inch meringue "kisses" on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the middle of oven for 2 hours. Turn off oven and leave the meringues in it for at least 2 more hours or until meringues are completely dry.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer and beat until foamy. Add sugar and almond extract beat until meringues hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate gently until just incorporated. Using a pastry bag or a sealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off, pipe meringue by the tablespoon onto cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from parchment paper. Transfer to an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-CHESTNUT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a food processor, pulse to combine chestnut flour, walnuts, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cinnamon until nuts are ground to a fine powder. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Whisk egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Continue to whisk, gradually adding remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a slow stream, until whites are very stiff and glossy, 11 to 13 minutes. Gently fold egg whites into chestnut-flour mixture with a flexible spatula just until combined.
• Transfer one-third of mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip, and pipe 1-inch circles, 1 1/2 inches apart, on parchment-lined baking sheets, holding pastry bag vertically, then pulling up to create a peak. Bake until completely dry and crisp, about 2 hours. Let meringues cool completely on sheets on a wire rack.
• Temper chocolate: Melt chocolate in a small bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of barely simmering water. Using a chocolate or candy thermometer, melt until temperature registers 115 degrees. Remove bowl, wiping away moisture from bottom of bowl. Leave water at a simmer. Stir chocolate, cooling it until temperature reads 83 to 85 degrees. Replace bowl over simmering water in 30-second intervals until thermometer reaches 88 to 89 degrees. Transfer to another bowl to cool. Use immediately.
• Holding a cookie by one side, dip in tempered chocolate until half is submerged. Gently shake off excess chocolate. Place dipped meringues on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let set completely without disturbing. Meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Grease the cookie sheets, and cover with parchment paper or wax paper.
• (I usually spray the paper with non-stick vegetable spray).
• Melt the chocolate chips over hot water in double boiler.
• If you prefer (and this is the way I prefer doing it), you can melt them in the microwave.
• Start by cooking for 20 seconds.
• Stir and return to the microwave for another 10 seconds.
• Stir again, and repeat the process until all the chips are melted.
• Beat the egg whites until foamy, and then begin gradually adding the sugar while continuing to beat.
• Beat until stiff.
• Then beat in the vanilla and vinegar.
• Gently fold in the chocolate and nuts, if desired.
• Drop the batter, a teaspoon at a time, onto the sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until firm to the touch.
• Remove immediately from sheets.
• Store in airtight container.
• NOTE: Try not to store these for too long.
• Although they will keep, they will dry out a bit and lose that gooeyness inside somewhat, which is what makes them so special.