If you love meringue cookies, you must try these chocolate espresso meringues! Crunchy and chewy at the same time, with a touch of espresso and dark chocolate bitterness, these meringues are a perfect dessert! They are also nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.
When things get overwhelming and stressful, I escape to my kitchen and find comfort in cooking. Focusing on the recipe and carefully measuring my ingredients gives my mind the possibility to shift and wander. Whisking the eggs, melting the chocolate, and looking at how few very simple ingredients turn into something so gracious. That’s what I call beauty. And that’s why preparing food is such a comfort to me. To my thoughts, to my hands, to my heart.
Quarantine has put us in the place where whole our habitual life went down like a tower of cards. A light blow of wind and everything disappeared in the air. Were we ready for it? Absolutely not. An overnight change made so simple, and often taken for granted things, like walking through the city or going to a store relevant.
It feels like we were playing a game, and we are on level 0 again. Back to the basics. Can we do something against it? I am afraid not. Can we adapt to it and make the most of it? Definitely. Or that’s what I told myself the first day of the quarantine. We are asked to stay home, so I am going to love my home even more. I’m going to hold on to it, as it is a really precious place to be and with my favorite people. And I will bake cakes. I will try all those recipes I’ve been saving for when I have time. I will be thankful for my health, my food, and the days I get to spend home.
This is how these chocolate espresso meringues were made. Or should we call them chocolate clouds of heaven?
I have been waiting so long to bake meringues. My previous oven was an old, gas oven that was not suitable for desserts that need to dry at a lower temperature. With the lockdown and my new oven, I had to try them out. Whisking simple ingredients such as egg whites, sugar, espresso powder (regular Italian Moka coffee powder is perfect as well), and cocoa powder will make meringues irresistible. A generous pour of melted dark chocolate, and your dessert will be ready to serve.
The recipe is made in less than 15 minutes, but you have to be patient on beating your egg whites enough. The more peaks are, the better. The firm egg white will help your meringues keep the wavy shape and dry better. Be patient on the baking as well – all the ovens are different, so you want to adjust your temperature accordingly. If you have the fan option on your oven, use a lower temperature (20-30 degrees Celsius below the one you would use for traditional baking). I find that baking them with the fan option helps them dry better, but if you don’t have that option, don’t worry, you will obtain a great result with a traditional oven as well.
Chocolate and coffee go so well together, but if you are not a coffee person, you can omit the espresso powder and just go with cocoa powder. This recipe gives about eight medium meringues; each of them is a perfect dessert portion. You can easily double or triple the amount, depending on how many people you are baking for. You can serve them plain, with melted chocolate or even with some whipped cream on the side if you fancy it!
I hope you are all doing fine and that maybe one of these days, these Chocolate Espresso Meringues will bring some happiness to your home as well. Take care and be safe!
Chocolate Espresso Meringues
(Gluten-free and Dairy-free)
Marija Gvozdenovic
INGREDIENTS
Serves 8
3 egg whites
140g caster sugar
1/4 tsp white vinegar
2tsp espresso powder
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder plus more for dusting
METHOD
Preheat your oven at 120 degrees Celsius. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and vinegar on a high-speed until foamy – try to keep the whisk position as horizontal as possible. Add sugar gradually (1-2 tbsp at a time) continue whisking. You should add the sugar in small quantities until the end of the process. When the egg whites form stiff peaks (this usually takes about 10-15 minutes), gently fold in the cocoa powder and espresso powder. You should create nice swirls in the egg whites. Spoon the egg whites onto the parchment-lined baking tray. Twirl your spoon around and finish off with a spiky peak. Dust the meringues with some additional cocoa powder and with a fork gently make some more swirls.
Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, switch off the oven and leave them to cool inside the oven with the door slightly open for 15 minutes. Serve them alone, with melted chocolate or with some whipped cream on the side. Enjoy!
