Ghastly Meringues

When I saw these in Food Network Magazine recently (October issue) I knew I had to try them out. I'd never actually made meringue cookies before but figured it would be easy enough.

It was!  They only take about 5 minutes to whip up (literally) and another 5 to pipe the shapes onto the cookie sheet.  It's the baking that takes a while.  And frankly, I'm not sure if it's because they're still a little warm, but my ghosts aren't completely solid the whole way through.  So, as the recipe says "bake until dry, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes" - you should do it!

Anyhow, here's the recipe:

GHASTLY MERINGUES

INGREDIENTS:

3 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until frothy.  Beat in the sugar; increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, 5-6 minutes.

2. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.  Pipe 8-10 swirls on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake until dry, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes.  Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let cool completely.

3. Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on 50 % power until melted, about 1 minute, stirring halfway.  Transfer the melted chocolate to a zip-top bag and snipa corner. Pipe the chocolate on the meringues to look like eyes.


NOTES:

Keep the meringues in the oven for the time specified!  My batch made closer to 16 cookies (about 40 calories per cookie).  I guess the piping tip was smaller than what the folks at Food Network used.

But they are yummy!