1/4cbittersweet or semisweet chocolate,melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
Preheat oven to 275°F.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
Mix together sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and instant espresso and set aside.
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer), whip egg whites at medium-high speed until frothy.
Add cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form – a total of about 3 minutes of mixing.
Continue beating and add sugar mixture 1T at a time. Then add vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
Beat another 2-3 minutes, or until you have glossy, stiff peaks. Meringue will be fluffy and will start to become drier at this point.
Drizzle a little of the melted chocolate on top of the meringue, and use a spatula to gently fold the chocolate in. Only do two or three turns with the spatula - you don't want to mix the chocoalte in, just swirl it a bit.
Scoop meringue onto cookie sheets using a large cookie scoop, leaving an inch or so in between them. Drizzle more chocolate onto the meringue in the bowl as desired, folding in as before. Save a little chocolate for topping the meringues off at the end.
Once you have all of your meringue scooped onto cookie sheets, take the rest of the melted chocolate and spoon a little dollop onto the top of each meringue (about 1/4 tsp or so). Then use a chopstick, toothpick, or something similar to swirl the chocolate into the top of the meringue a little.
Place cookie sheets in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 250°F.
Bake for 50-75 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. When done, meringues should be puffed, dry, and beginning to crack. They will sound hollow if you tap them on the bottom. The bottoms shouldn’t be turning brown yet (though if they have don't worry - they’ll still be delicious).
Leaving the cookie sheets in the oven, turn off the heat and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Leave meringues in the oven to cool and continue to dry out for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Stored at room temperature in an airtight container and away from moisture, meringues will keep several days.