Description
Delightfully light and crisp chocolate dipped meringue cookies made from whipped egg whites and sugar, baked to perfection and finished with a glossy dark chocolate coating. These cookies are a perfect combination of airy sweetness with a rich chocolate finish, ideal for a sophisticated treat or special occasion dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Cookies
- 105 g egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
Chocolate Coating
- 113 g dark chocolate, divided (half finely chopped, half chunk)
- 1/2 tsp neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola oil)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure the meringue cookies don’t stick.
- Clean Mixing Bowl: Wipe the bowl of your stand mixer and the whisk attachment with white vinegar. This helps to remove any grease that could prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the egg whites, sugar, and kosher salt into the bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Heat Egg White Mixture: Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk frequently, heating until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F (70 degrees C) or the sugar has fully dissolved and egg whites no longer feel grainy.
- Whip Egg Whites: Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
- Add Vanilla and Whip to Stiff Peaks: Add the vanilla bean paste or extract and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, ensuring the meringue is glossy and stands firm.
- Pipe Meringues: Transfer the meringue mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (such as Ateco 867) and pipe small kisses onto the prepared baking sheet. The cookies don’t spread, so you can pipe them relatively close together.
- Bake Meringue Cookies: Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on size. The cookies should be no longer sticky to the touch and easily peel off the parchment.
- Dry Cookies in Oven: Once baked, turn off the oven and leave the cookies inside to continue drying out, ensuring they crisp fully without burning.
- Melt Chocolate: Place half of the dark chocolate (chunks, not finely chopped) and the neutral oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments, stirring until melted and smooth.
- Incorporate Finely Chopped Chocolate: Stir in the remaining finely chopped chocolate to melt into the warm chocolate mixture, creating a smooth and glossy coating.
- Dip Cookies in Chocolate: Dip each cooled meringue cookie into the melted chocolate, fully or partially coating as desired, then place them on parchment paper to allow the chocolate to set.
Notes
- Use room temperature egg whites for better volume.
- Make sure the mixing bowl is completely clean and grease-free to achieve stiff peaks.
- Low and slow baking is key to drying out the meringues without browning.
- Vanilla bean paste adds a richer flavor than vanilla extract, but you can substitute with extract.
- Store meringue cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain crispness.
- For a glossy chocolate coating, stir in finely chopped chocolate after melting the first half to temper it slightly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: meringue cookies, chocolate dipped cookies, crispy meringue, dark chocolate dessert, elegant treats, French cookies
