Sweet Treats: Chocolate Chip Meringues Recipe

pink vanilla meringues with sprinkles fine art photo print~ maria kallin

I tried to make meringues a few years ago and they did not turn out well at all. But, over the past year, I have been seeing them everywhere. I'm starting to rethink my meringue fluke could be improved upon, because really, don't they look so sweet?

Holly of In the Fun Lane has a Chocolate Chip Recipe she shared that I think I will try, I've already heard rave reviews on it. The step by step pictures help a girl out a lot as well. Here is her extremely thorough recipe (and photos):

The ingredients you will need are:
4 eggs
sugar
vanilla
chocolate chips

To start take your eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Let the whites sit out until they are room temperature (you won't need the yolks). While they are warming up I take some sugar (1/4 cup for every egg white so in this case 1 cup) and put it in the food processor. I like the meringue to be like silk so this really makes the fine grains even finer.

Once the whites are room temp I blend them with the whipping attachment on medium until the whites look foamy. Then you slowly start adding the sugar.

Some recipes add other stuff to get the texture really thick, but with the Kitchenaide mixer I have no problems getting them fluffy and stiff. Once the mixture can hold a peak add just a touch of vanilla extract. (One commenter wrote, not to add any extracts that are too oily, like peppermint, otherwise they won't whip correctly).

This is where the recipe goes from average to amazing! I take a half cup of chocolate chips and put them in the food processor as well so that they are little crumbs.

I mix it all together for just a second then spoon (or use a baggie with the tip cut off) to swirl them onto a Silpat sheet. You can use aluminum foil as well, but parchment paper really doesn't keep them from sticking.

Place the sheet into a preheated 250 degree oven for about an hour and 40 minutes. I like to let them sit in the oven once I shut it off to let them get a smidge crunchier, but at the same time have a bit of a gooey center (I don't like solid, rock hard meringues).