Chocolate Dipped Meringue Kisses
Source: Gold Medal Holiday Cookies
Makes: 4 1/2 dozen

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons softened butter
1 egg, separated
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening

Heat oven to 300F.

Beat flour, sugar, salt, butter and egg yolk on medium-speed with electric mixer.

Shape dough into 1/2 to 3/4-inch balls. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Balls are tiny, cookies do not spread.

Dip greased bottom of glass into sugar; flatten balls to about 1/8-inch thick.

Beat egg white and cream of tartar on high speed till foamy. Beat in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff and glossy.

Spoon meringue into decorating bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Pipe 3/4 to 1-inch kiss on each cookie by squeezing bag, then pulling bag straight up to make curled tip on each kiss.

Bake 7-9 minutes, until meringue is set and light golden brown. Remove from sheet to rack to cool completely.

Melt chips and shortening together, stirring until smooth. Dip cookie base into melted chocolate to just above bottom of meringue. Let stand on waxed paper until set.