MERINGUE TARTLETS WITH PEARS AND SHAVED CHOCOLATE

1 cup water
1 cup orange juice without pulp
2 cloves
4 ripe pears – Bosc or Anjou varieties (peeled, halved and cored)
1 Tbsp. plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided use
4 large, room temperature egg whites
Dash of cream of tartar
Dash of salt
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. shaved chocolate, from a good-quality dark chocolate bar

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large baking pan, combine water, orange juice, 1 Tbsp. sugar and cloves. Add pears. Poach pears in the oven until soft. Remove pears from liquid and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until the eggs are frothy (about 1 minute). With the mixer at high speed, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Beat for roughly 6 minutes or until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Drop the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet in eight 3- to 4-inch-diameter rounds, smoothing the edges. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, but leave the meringues in the oven for about 12 hours. Do not open the oven door.

WHEN READY TO SERVE:
Gently peel the meringues off the parchment paper. Place each pear half in a bowl and top with one meringue. To garnish, shave chocolate from the side of the chocolate bar using a vegetable peeler. Note, it may help if the chocolate bar is cold, so refrigerate for several minutes prior. Garnish each meringue with 1 teaspoon shaved chocolate.

Makes 8 servings

Per serving: 117 calories, 2 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 65 mg sodium.

Source: American Institute for Cancer Research