Airy Dark Chocolate Meringues

It will surprise exactly no one to hear that I love chocolate.* While smart people live by the rule “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” I follow the much less well-known adage “chocolate each day puts a smile on my face.” It’s why I keep a large tub of peanut butter cups on my desk at work, why I grew up exclusively drinking chocolate milk, why we have at least four different types of baking chocolate at home and also why this will never fit me.

But so many chocolate desserts are rich and dense, so laden with cocoa and sugar that eating more than a few bites is a Herculean struggle. Flourless chocolate things are usually the worst offenders, tortes and bombs so thick that they may as well be bricks.

Don’t get me wrong — I would never complain about such things. They are often the first item that calls out to me on a restaurant dessert menu. (What, you’ve never had a menu speak to you?) But sometimes, I really want something that won’t weigh me down, something fit for the warm lightness of spring.

These meringues are like little bites of air. Their fragile crisp shells and soft chewy innards dissolve, literally, in your mouth. They are fluffy clouds with intense flavor — weightless but packing a hefty punch of dark chocolate. While they taste similar to the Mini Chocolate Crackles I made last year, those were clearly a winter cookie. These are all spring: picnics and sundresses and tulips. Just a warning: it literally feels like you’re eating nothing. Don’t blame me when an entire batch disappears.

*When I say chocolate, I really mean dark chocolate. Milk is okay, but in my world white chocolate does not exist. A) it’s not even really chocolate since there’s no cocoa content and B) some things are just better brown.

Airy Dark Chocolate Meringues
Adapted from Eating Well

– 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, divided*

– 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted**

– 3 large egg whites (approximately 1/3 cup)

– 1/3 cup sugar

– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

*They recommend 60-75%, I used 60 — you could also use milk if that’s what you have on hand. Just reduce the sugar by 2 tablespoons in that case.

**Both regular and Dutch process work (I used regular).

1) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350ËšF.

2) Chop 3 ounces of the chocolate uniformly (or use chips) and place in a microwave-safe bowl. With the microwave on half-power, heat the chocolate for 1 minute. Stir, incorporating any solid chips into the melted chocolate. Continue to heat for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval, until the chips are all melted. Stir until smooth.*

3) Chop the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate into small pieces. Toss with the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set aside.

4) In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites using an electric mixer. First the whites will foam, and then they will begin to form soft peaks (after about 2 minutes on medium speed).

5) Once the egg whites are at the soft-peak stage, add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time.

6) When the sugar is all added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla extract. Continue to beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold glossy stiff peaks.

7) Gently fold in both the melted and chopped chocolate. Using a rubber spatula or spoon, lift from the bottom of the bowl and fold in a circular motion so that you don’t deflate the meringue.

8) Drop the meringue batter onto the parchment paper using a teaspoon, leaving 1-inch gaps between each cookie.

9) Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the tops are slightly firm when gently tapped but the insides are still soft and chewy. Allow the meringues to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the baking sheets and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

*If you don’t have a microwave, melt the chocolate in a double boiler: place a glass heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water, making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Place the chocolate in the bowl and allow to heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted (this should take 3-5 minutes).

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