Fruit-Filled Chocolate Meringues

adding a fruit concoction to delicious meringues = brilliant! i love that they're strawberries in chocolate meringues as well; although, i am sure you could do any mix of flavors :)

BY JESSICA DENISE STEINMETZ (BellaOnline.com)
(makes 6 servings)
2 egg whites at room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Dash salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
3/4 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, halved or quartered depending on size
3/4 cup fresh or frozen whole raspberries
FOR GARNISH:
1 Tbsp. superfine or confectioners' sugar
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2) Line cookie sheets w/parchment paper.
3) In mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar, vanilla & salt until soft peaks form (tips of peaks will curl over when beaters are removed).
4) Beat in sugar a little at a time until soft peaks form (peaks will remain upright when beaters are removed).
5) Sprinkle cocoa over top & fold in gently.
6) Drop meringue by 1/4 cup portions onto parchment paper that has been lightly coated with cooking spray.
7) Indent center of each with back of tablespoon.
8) Bake 45min or until dry to touch. Remove & cool.
9) When completely cooled, store in air-tight container to prevent meringues from becoming soggy before serving time.
TO SERVE:
10) Fill center of each meringue with mixture of fruit so berries mound slightly.
11) Lightly dust fruit with sugar to garnish. If confectioners' sugar is used, sift lightly over berries using small strainer & spoon to move sugar through strainer. This technique achieves light dusting desired.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art7349.asp

Chocolate Coconut Meringues

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES (nytimes.com)
(makes 36)
2 large egg whites
2/3cup sugar
4oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2cups finely grated unsweetened coconut
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Using an electric mixer, whip egg whites until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually beat in sugar, continuing until stiff peaks form. Remove bowl from mixer.
4. Melt the chocolate in a microwave oven or a double boiler. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the melted chocolate & half the coconut into the bowl of egg whites. Fold in the remaining coconut.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto baking sheets lined w/lightly greased parchment paper. Bake about 12min, or until meringues are firm. Turn oven off, but leave cookies in oven with door ajar 15min longer.

nutritional analysis
per serving: 45 calories
3g fat
0mg cholesterol
4mg sodium
1g protein
5g carbohydrate.

http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/1198/1996/12/04/Chocolate-Coconut-Meringues/recipe.html?scp=4&sq=recipes%20coconut&st=cse

White Chocolate-Espresso Parfait Sandwiches

FROM MILK AND COOKIES (ilovemilkandcookies.blogspot.com)
(serves 8-12)

NOTE: You will need to begin this recipe 2 days ahead.

600ml pouring cream

25ml espresso coffee

3 pieces of lemon peel

330g white chocolate, coarsely chopped

FOR THE HAZELNUT MERINGUE

4 egg whites

1/2cup caster sugar

2/3cup icing sugar, sieved

50g ground hazelnuts

20g Dutch-process cocoa, sieved

FOR THE ESPRESSO CARAMEL

150g caster sugar

75g maple syrup

1tbsp espresso coffee

40g butter, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Combine cream, coffee & peel in a saucepan, bring just to the boil over medium-high heat, strain over chocolate in a bowl & whisk until smooth. Cool, whisking occasionally so chocolate doesn’t separate from cream, to room temp

2. Refridgerate overnight.

3. The next day, whisk chocolate mixture until soft peaks form.

MAKING THE MERINGUES

4. Preheat oven to 100ºC.

5. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggwhites & a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.

6. With motor running, gradually add caster sugar; whisk until glossy.

7. Using a metal spoon, fold in icing sugar, hazelnut and cocoa. Trace 2 rectangles using a 20cm x 30cm cake pan as a template onto baking paper-lined oven trays.

8. Spread meringue evenly onto rectangles; bake for 40min or until crisp.

9. Cool on trays.

MAKING THE CARAMEL:

10. For caramel, combine sugar, maple syrup & ¼ cup water in a small saucepan & stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

11. Increase heat to medium-high & cook for 3-5min or until syrup thickens.

12. Remove from heat, add espresso, swirl to combine. Add butter, swirl to incorporate, then cool.

COMBINE:

13. Place a meringue rectangle, trimming edges to fit, into a 20cm x 30cm baking paper-lined cake pan.

14. Drizzle w/half the espresso caramel, top with white chocolate mixture & drizzle with remaining espresso caramel. Top w/remaining meringue & freeze overnight.

15. Remove, cut into squares using a wet sharp knife & serve immediately.

http://ilovemilkandcookies.blogspot.com/2008/06/o-blogger-where-art-thou.html

Pavlova with Fresh Berries

FROM OLD SOUTH BEACH DIET EMAILS
(serves8)
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2tsp cream of tartar
1 1/4cup sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
3/4cup fat-free whipped topping
1cup fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, and/or raspberries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on medium-high, until whites are firm, but not dry.
3. Continue beating, adding sugar, 1/4 cup at a time; beat about 10 seconds after each addition. 4. Add vanilla and continue beating, 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is glossy and stiff.
5. Scoop meringue onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a large rubber spatula, spread meringue into a 6-inch round, building the sides and creating a slight depression in the center; place in oven and reduce heat to 250°F.
6. Bake, without opening oven door, 45 minutes, until firm to the touch and lightly golden.
5. Turn off oven; open door and let cool in the oven, 30 minutes.
6.Remove from oven; cool completely on wire rack.
7.Use a large metal spatula to transfer meringue to serving platter. Fill center of meringue with whipped topping and berries.

*again, they used sugar substitute
45 calories
2 g protein
8 g carbohydrate
0 g fiber
0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat)
0 mg cholesterol
39 mg sodium

Meringue Kisses (Regular, Cocoa, Nutty)

FROM THE JOY OF COOKING
(about 36 1 1/2inch)
3 Large egg whites
1/4tsp cream of tartar
1/8tsp salt
3/4cup sugar
3/4tsp vanilla
1/4tsp almond extract [optional]
Directions:
1. preheat oven to 225F
2. line 2 cookie sheets w/parchment paper (or leave ungreased)
3. beat eggs, cream of tartar & salt in a medium bowl on low speed until foamy.
4. increase the speed to high, & beat until the egg whites just begin to form soft peaks.
5. gradually add sugar, beating until well combined
6. reduce speed to low and add vanilla (& almond extract)
7. beat until the meringue is glossy & stands in very stiff peaks.
8. using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch open star tip, pipe the batter into 1 1/4inch kisses about 1inch apart on the cookie sheets. (or drop heaping teaspoonfuls of batter in peaked mounds)
9. bake for 45 min rotating the sheets & switching positions halfway through baking.
10. turn the heat off & let the cookies stand in the oven for 30 min, or until cool

Cocoa Version
*same as above, just add 3tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder along with sugar

Nutty Version
*same as above, just folding in 3/4cup finely chopped pecans/almonds/pistachis, or skinned hazulnuts into the batter