When You're Counting Calories and Need Something Sweet - Chocolate Meringues!

Meringues are easy to make, once you have an understanding of what it takes to beat those egg whites into fluffation.  They're great because they are about 10 calories a piece, and you can make different flavors.  This particular recipe is for chocolate meringues.

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

In a small mixer bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar at high speed until foamy.  Now seriously - for these to turn out right you have to use HIGH speed!  Add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy and stand in stiff peaks:

Beat in cocoa and vanilla (to make vanilla meringues, just omit these two ingredients): 

I use an old cake decorator from the 50s that my Granny Anne gave me.  But you could use a piping bag or you could even just drop onto a cookie sheet with a spoon. 

Place on waxed cookie sheets.  Bake in preheated 225* oven until firm, about 1 hour.  Turn off oven but don't open it!!  Let cookies stand in oven with door closed until cool, dry, and crisp, at least 1 hour.  Makes 4-5 dozen meringues.