HealthNotes

Chocolate Meringue Cookies

• From: Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa

• pinch of salt

• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, pecans, or almonds

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 4 egg whites (from large eggs), in a medium-large bowl

• nonstick spray for the baking sheet (optional)

These clouds of chocolate are not a dream-they are real! And you can really have them on this diet! The contrast of textures (an initial crunch, followed by a moment of chewiness) is truly satisfying, and the really good news is you can have a second one.

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 250°F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper.
• Place the sugar, cocoa, salt, nuts, and chocolate chips in a food processor or blender and process in a few short bursts until the nuts and chocolate are coarsely ground.
• Add the vanilla to the bowlful of egg whites, and beat with an electric mixer at high speed, until they form stiff peaks.
• Pour the dry mixture on top of the beaten egg whites, and use a rubber spatula to fold everything together until reasonably well blended. (It doesn't have to be perfect.)
• Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 3 hours without opening the oven. Turn off the oven and leave the cookies in there for another 30 minutes. (If you forget they are there and accidentally leave them overnight, they will still be fine.) Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before gently removing them with a metal spatula.