Mocha Meringue Food

MOCHA-CHIP MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch; set aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until frothy. Beating constantly, add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes total (scrape down the bowl halfway through). Add espresso powder and cocoa; beat until well blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips.
• Drop batter by level tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp, about 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool completely on sheets, about 20 minutes.

MOCHA MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Trace six 3-inch circles on each paper.
• Using electric mixer, beat first 3 ingredients to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and beat to stiff glossy peaks. Transfer whites to pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain tip. Beginning in the center of each circle, pipe concentric circles to fill traced circle. Bake until meringues are dry, about 2 hours.(Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in oven.)
• Gently spread 1/4 cup yogurt evenly on 6 meringues. Top with remaining meringues. Freeze until firm.
• Place cocoa and espresso in sieve. Lightly sprinkle over tops of meringue and serve immediately.

MOCHA MERINGUE BARK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Put 1/4 cup blanched almonds and 1 teaspoon sugar into a food processor and pulse until it resembles cornmeal; reserve. Finely chop the remaining almonds.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt until very soft peaks have formed. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and espresso powder. With the mixer running on low, slowly add in the sugar and the espresso powder, 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping just to the stiff peak stage, (do not overbeat). Gently fold in the reserved almond flour.
• With a large offset spatula, spread the meringue batter on the lined baking sheet in an even layer, about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the finely chopped almonds and chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the meringue and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, leaving the meringue in the oven to dry out further and cool for an additional 1 hour.
• Note: If meringue gets chewy, put it back into a 200 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let dry inside the oven while it cools.
• To serve, break the meringue into pieces. Leftover meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature in a dry cool place for up to 3 days.

MOCHA MERINGUES

Steps:

• Take your eggs out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature.
• Make sure you have two oven racks in your oven. Preheat oven to 250°F.
• In a small bowl, mix vanilla and instant coffee.
• In large bowl (or your mixer's bowl) add egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat on medium speed until the eggs are frothy.
• Increase speed slightly and add sugar gradually but steadily.
• Beat mixture until stiff peaks form. This should take about 10 minutes.
• Add vanilla/coffee mixture and mix until combined. Decrease speed to low and add cocoa gradually until just incorporated.
• Using a pastry bag or ziploc bag with a corner cut off, pipe meringue onto two parchment lined cookie sheets. The mounds should be no less than half an inch apart and should each be about an inch across.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then switch the two baking sheets from one rack to the other.
• Bake for another 20 minutes until the meringues are dry. Turn off the oven and leave it slightly open while the meringues crisp for about an hour.

PECAN MOCHA MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Press brown sugar and cocoa powder through sieve into small bowl to remove any lumps; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, coarse salt, and cream of tartar in medium bowl until very soft peaks begin to form. With mixer running, gradually add sugar, then espresso powder; beat until medium peaks form. Beat in brown sugar mixture by tablespoonfuls. Continue beating until meringue is very stiff and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in chopped pecans and chocolate chips, if desired. Drop mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Place 1 pecan half atop each meringue, pressing very lightly to adhere.
• Bake meringues until dry but still slightly soft when pressed with finger, about 25 minutes. Turn off oven. Cool meringues in oven with door closed until crisp, about 1 1/2 hours. DO AHEAD Meringues can be made up to 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

MOCHA MERINGUES

Steps:

• Stir together vanilla and coffee granules, set aside.
• Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat together egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Increase mixer speed to medium high. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle cocoa over egg white mixture and fold in until blended. Stir in vanilla mixture and chocolate chips.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
• Bake at 250 degrees F. for one hour. Do not open the oven door. Turn the oven off and prop the door slightly open. Leave the cookies in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove cookies with a thin metal spatula. Enjoy!