Dark Chocolate-Dipped Meringues {Recipe Redux}

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A strange thing happens when I encounter chocolate.

Besides being top on my list of favorite foods, chocolate tends to multiply in my presence. I may start out with a drizzle of chocolate here or there.

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Then, without warning, this elixir of higher powers multiples

It's also clear at this point that I have only one cloth napkin that shows up in every picture.
It’s also clear at this point that I have only one cloth napkin that shows up in every picture.

until all chocolate breaks loose.

choclate meringue

A force this powerful needs a recipe to contain it. That’s why this month’s Recipe Redux theme spoke to every chocolate-loving quark in my body:

Does your chocolate need a friend? This month’s posting will be after Valentine’s Day, so you may have a bit of extra chocolate around. What’s your favorite chocolate match? Be it traditional peanut butter or something more exotic like cayenne + chocolate. Show us your favorite healthy chocolate combo recipe.

I had to laugh at the notion that I might have a little chocolate lying around after Valentine’s Day; if chocolate were a once-a-year stock-up, I wouldn’t have had a whole week devoted to using up the pounds and pounds of chocolate we had lying around during a random November. I look for chocolate recipes all the time.

When thinking about the perfect chocolate pairing, I thought about the deliciousness of other recipes, like spiced chocolate tea (cinnamon), chocolate wedding drops (tart cherries), chocolate BBQ sauce (BBQ sauce, of course), and vegetarian chocolate chili (chili powder). In fact, I once wrote a whole post about the history and nutrition of chocolate. Now that‘s devotion.

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This time, I decided to go simple. I wanted a small treat that I would pack with my lunch and that would be easy to whip up–literally.

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These dark chocolate-dipped mini-meringues are super easy to make and are a light, sweet treat after a meal–all for 10 calories each. Enjoy with a hot cup of tea (spiced chocolate optional).

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The only tricky part is piping the meringue mixture onto the sheet pan. If you had seen me gripping the meringue-filled Ziploc bag with all my strength, wondering how exactly the mixture was getting everywhere except on the pan, you would have scoffed at my “easy” declaration. Yet after getting the hang of piping the meringue mixture, it was easy. Give it a try! Directions are in the recipe below.

Enjoy, dear reader!

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Dark Chocolate-Dipped Meringues

  Prep Time: 10 minutes

  Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients (50 meringues)

  • 2 egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 ounce dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. With an electric mixer, beat cream of tartar into egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and half of sugar and beat for 1 minute. Add remaining sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes.

On a lined baking sheet, space teaspoon-sized dollops of egg mixture about 2 inches apart. Alternatively, fill a quart-sized Ziploc bag with mixture, seal, cut off corner, and “pipe” teaspoon-sized dollops onto baking sheet. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meringues are crisp. Transfer to wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat. Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate over meringues or dip meringues directly in the chocolate. Store in airtight container up to one week.

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7 Comments

  1. So fun! Love all the crazy chocolate cutting loose! And would love one or two of these right now!

  2. How have you been Jessie? It is so fantastic connecting with you again, I’ve missed you and your blog! When it comes to chocolate, I like pairing it with something else salty (ie, salty caramel + chocolate). I like the idea of using it in savory recipes – chocolate BBQ sauce, oh dear, so many brilliant ideas! These little beauties are so adorable – I love eating petite desserts! Well done Jessie, please do continue to bake and create! Take care and wishing you a lovely day, my dear friend!

  3. Hi Jessie! Sorry for being off-topic, I just tried a recipe I found online for gluten-free pizza crust and it turned out surprisingly well, so I wanted to share it with someone who might appreciate it! Pizza crust made of cauliflower, what a crazy idea! But it totally worked 😀

    http://www.sassy-kitchen.com/home/green-cauliflower-pizza

    1. Hi Sandi! Thanks for sharing that recipe — it looks delicious! 🙂

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