Salted-Caramel Meringue Cookies

By Joelene

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg whites
• Fleur de Sel salt for topping
• 1/2 pound dark or light chocolate

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 220 degrees. Add sugar and egg whites to a mixing bowl. Mix until blended. Warm mixture in a double boiler until sugar is completely melted. Remove from heat, pour back into a mixing bowl, and use an electric mixer to whip until completely stiff.

Pour mixture into a pastry pipe, and pipe out into 1- to 2-inch heart-shaped cookies on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Top liberally with Fleur de Sel salt and bake for 90 minutes.

To melt chocolate, fill the bottom half of a double boiler with water, making certain the bottom of the top half doesn't touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer. Break chocolate into chunks and place in the top half, then place over the simmering water. Be careful that the water doesn't boil or splash into the chocolate because any moisture will cause it to seize. Stir gently with a plastic spatula. When melted, gently dunk cookies in the chocolate. Place on a clean, dry surface to allow chocolate to harden.

Makes about 32 cookies.