Chocolate Chip Meringues

I'm figuring with the holiday season barrelling towards us at a break neck speed, there are about to be copious amounts of scrumptious treats due to be coming out of my kitchen.  Undoubtedly, a good portion of those, although good for our taste buds, they might not be so good for our waistlines - what can I say....Christmas comes but once a year :o)

So, even though I had a hankering to make something chocolatey today, I opted for something low in fat, in the spirit of 'under-indulgence'.....for now anyway!!!

Chocolate Chip Meringues
makes 15-25 cookies (depending on size)

2 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips

• preheat the oven to 250 F, and cover two cookies sheets with foil or parchment paper.
• in a clean metal or glass bowl whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar with a hand or stand mixer, until soft peaks.
• gradually add in the sugar, while whisking, until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
• mix in vanilla and cocoa powder on low speed.
• fold in chocolate chips by hand.
• drop heaped teaspoon size mounds onto the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
• bake for 1 hour; turn off oven heat and leave the sheets in the oven for another hour.
• store in an airtight container.

 Chocolate Chip Meringue ingredients.

whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar - it doesn't take long to go from this, frothy, stage to soft peaks.

you can sift the cocoa if you want, but I didn't bother, and they came out fine.

I opted for the foil today, and they peel off pretty easily as long as you go careful.

these are great on their own for a little chocolate 'fix', but they'd also be wonderful popped into the top of a decedent chocolate mousse.

because of the slow, low cooking the chocolate chips keep their shapes pretty well.