Easy Cocoa Meringues

Easy Cocoa Meringues

Ingredients

Makes 12 large meringues

3 large egg whites

¾ cup granulated sugar (I used coconut sugar)

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (or white vinegar)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, divided

Directions

Preheat the oven to 215°F (100°C) and place a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Using a stand mixer or a handheld electric mixer with a large bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until they start to get foamy.

Add cream of tartar (or vinegar) salt, and vanilla extract and beat mixture again until soft peaks form.

Add sugar — 2 tablespoons at a time — until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, and continue to whip the meringue for about 2 minutes. At this point the mixture should be glossy and firm — it should be spoonable, but will keep the shape when dolloped onto a baking sheet.

Spoon batter onto the lined baking sheet. I use an ice-cream scoop to do it — it saves time, makes equal portions, and is much neater than scraping batter off a spoon. Alternatively, you can pipe the meringue.

Bake for 2 hours, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Please note that cooking time depends on the size of the meringues, adjust accordingly.

The meringues should feel dry and very light, and come off of the parchment paper easily.

Let cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.

Usually, I turn off the oven when they are done baking and allow them to cool completely in the oven with the door cracked open.

Once cooled, dust the meringues with the remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.