Recipe: Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Source: Cooking Light
Yield: 4 dozen

3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate mini-chips

Tips:
Parchment paper is a heavy, grease- and moisture-resistant paper. It is essential for this recipe so your cookies won't stick to the pan. Parchment paper is available in gourmet kitchenware stores and some large supermarkets; look for it near the aluminum foil and wax paper.

Preheat oven to 300F.

Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt at high speed of a mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sift cocoa over egg white mixture; fold in. Fold in minichips.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper; secure to baking sheet with masking tape. Drop batter by level tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 300F for 40 minutes or until crisp. Cool on pan on a wire rack. Repeat procedure with remaining batter, reusing parchment paper. Store in an airtight container.

Here's how to get the most volume from your egg whites:
1. Separate the eggs when they're cold.
2. Use a large, stainless steel or glass bowl -- not an aluminum or plastic bowl.
3. Make sure the bowl is thoroughly cleaned and free of any traces of oil.
4. Beat egg whites once they reach room temperature.

Soft peaks = egg whites will gently fold over when the beaters are pulled away.
Stiff peaks = egg whites will stand up when the beaters are pulled away.
Don't make the meringue cookies on a humid day. The extra moisture will give you soft and gooey cookies.

Serving size: 1 cookie
Per serving:
CALORIES 22 (12% from fat); FAT 0.3g (sat 0.2g, mono 0.1g, poly 0g); PROTEIN 0.3g; CARB 4.7g; FIBER 0g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.1mg; SODIUM 16mg; CALC 1mg