espresso + chocolate chip meringue

two reasons |

one. friend, M's phd defense yesterday. i told him i was gonna make him something - gotta keep my promise :)

two. my other friend, J can't have any gluten and thought that perhaps i could kill two birds with one stone

solution | dessert of choice :: espresso chocolate chip meringues by giada de laurentiis.

i'll spare you the details and post photos instead. i've made this twice before -

first time: turn out mostly alright.
second: slightly burnt scorched toasty. 

perhaps my third time's the charm. 

(you can tell i am not quite the baker...i'm still working on it!)

a couple of great tips that i found either from watching food network or taking from people's experience:

o1| keep the bowl and whisk attachment chilled - could help a lil bit with the stiffening of the egg whites

o2| eggs must be room temperature. very good to plan ahead.

o3| try to make it on a day when the air isn't too humid. i've seen deflated meringues when there are too much moisture in the air which also means your utensils you use should be clean AND dry.

some other great tips can be found on this article on making the perfect meringue.

a few things i did differently from giada's recipe:

i divided the meringues as evenly (~2 tablespoons) as i could - it is supposed to yield 12 of these. i also shorten the cooking time to about 40 minutes (since my last attempt was slightly overcooked) and checked it periodically. and i used a hand mixer since i do not yet own my dream kitchen aid mixer... you know that lil pretty red thing? dang, i really want one of those!

favorite parts of the baking were when i mixed the espresso into the mixture - loved the smell of the coffee (if you like coffee, of course) and the tasting...

...well, i gotta make sure it turned out good right? :D

this batch was the best of the three attempts i've made so far. still got a long ways to go but very happy with how they turned out. i think i need to beat the egg whites a tad longer because it wasn't quite where i would have liked it to be. but it was definitely airy and quite a fun dessert to eat texturally. crispy shell with moist chewy inside. :)

you can find the recipe here if you would like to try to make them:

espresso chip meringues

by giada de laurentiis

found on foodnetwork.com

ingredients | 

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• pinch fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup superfine baker's sugar (available at specialty cooking stores)
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 2/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

directions | 

• place an oven rack in the center of the oven. preheat the oven to 300
• line a baking sheet with parchment paper. set aside
• in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt until frothy, about 1 minute
• with the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tbs at a time
• add the cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and espresso powder
• increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and hold stiff peaks, about 3-5 minutes
• using a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips
• drop 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart
• bake for 30 minutes. rotate the pan and bake for another 30 minutes
• turn off the  oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours

giada's note | the meringue mixture can also be placed in a pastry bag fitted with a large, plain tip (recommended: ateco #9808) and piped onto the baking sheet.

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.