Peanut Meringues With Hot Chocolate Cacahuetes Merengues Con Chocolate Caliente Food

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 CALIENTE COOKIES

Steps:

• MICROWAVE 1 cup chunks in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Chunks may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until chunks are melted.
• COMBINE flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat well. Add melted chocolate; stir until blended. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with foil.
• SHAPE dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 3 inches apart on baking sheets.
• BAKE for 12 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set but still soft. Immediately place remaining chunks, about 5 to 6 chunks per cookie, onto tops of cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks. Allow chunks to soften and spread melted chocolate evenly over tops of cookies.
• TIP:
• For a richer chocolate flavor, substitute three 4-ounce bars of NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® CHOCOLATIER 53% Cacao Dark or 62% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chocolate, broken into pieces, for the semi-sweet chocolate chunks.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Whisk the egg whites until they are foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar and beat until very stiff. Whisk in vanilla, then sugar, a small amount at a time, until the meringue is shiny and stiff. This should take just about 3 minutes by hand and under a minute by electric mixer.
• Whisk in the cinnamon and grated chocolate. Spoon mounds, about 2 tablespoons, on to an ungreased nonstick baking sheet. Leave plenty of space between the mounds.
• Place in a preheated oven at 300°. Bake for 3 hours or until set.
• Carefully remove from the baking sheet but if the meringues are too moist and soft, return to the oven to firm up and dry out some more. Allow to cool completely.
• Serve the meringues dusted with cinnamon and accompanied by strawberries and chocolate-flavored cream.
• To make the flavored cream simply stir half-melted chocolate pieces into stiffly whipped cream, chill until solid.

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.