11.43 am: Way too much batter while making meringues. I saved my unused egg whites from last night’s soup recipe, and at lunch yesterday Stephanie mentioned she wanted to make meringues, thus planting the seed of meringue-making in my head. I love watching egg whites froth up and turn into peaks. And I apparently also like using the words “making” and “meringues” as much as possible in a single sentence.
1.03 – 1.28 pm: Leftover soup plus the first of my beloved Coke Zeros for the day. These things are seriously addictive. I know this because I’m hooked.
2.22 pm: Warm milk and honey.
4.13 pm: Meringues! I think I may have put in too much sugar, but this doesn’t stop me from eating three.
6.13 – 6.43 pm: Two slices pepperoni pizza at Keith’s Aunt Mary’s house, plus a Diet Pepsi. It’s good, but it fails to hold a candle anywhere near my Coke Zeros.
7.34 pm: Coffee with cream and sugar, mostly because I am freezing. That’s the thing about getting over being sick — adjusting to feeling normal again. I’m wearing a T-shirt over a camisole, a cardigan and a scarf, and still I’m cold…
8.02 pm: …but not too cold to enjoy a piece of apple pie.
Chocolate Chip Meringues, from Martha Stewart
Makes 2 ½ dozen cookies
6 large egg whites
1 ¼ cups superfine sugar (see note)
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Cocoa powder, for dusting
- Heat oven to 175°. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Sprinkle a few spoonfuls of superfine sugar over beaten egg whites, and whisk in on low speed. Increase speed of mixer; whisking constantly, continue adding superfine sugar, a spoonful at a time, until all has been incorporated and mixture is firm enough to hold stiff and glossy peaks. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pipe or spoon small mounds of mixture onto baking sheets, spacing mounds about 1 inch apart. Bake meringues until completely dry to the touch, about 3 hours.
- Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. Before serving, dust meringues with confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder.
Note: No need to buy special sugar for this. Just measure out the amount you need into the bowl of a food processor and blitz.
