Meringue Mushrooms

170 g whites, from 5-6 eggs
255 g toasted sugar

1/4 t salt

1/4 t cream of tartar

1 T vanilla extract

4 oz dark chocolate

Adjust oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions.

Preheat oven to 225°.

Line two baking sheets with parchment.

Fit two large pastry bags with a 1/2" tip and a 1/4" tip.

Fashion a stand mixer bowl into a double boiler.

Combine whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar.

Stirring constantly, cook 8-10 mins or until 175°.

With a whisk attachment, whisk 5 mins or until glossy stiff peaks.

Reduce speed to medium low and add vanilla.
Pipe mushroom caps and stems with at least 1/2" space between.

Smoothing with a wet finger will both soften and deform the shape.
This makes them look more like mushrooms :)

Bake 3 hours or until meringues are dry and pull easily from parchment.

They will have turned a light beige.
Turn off heat and cool 4 hours or until room temperature inside oven.

Lightly dust each tray with a high-fat cocoa powder.

Use fingers to rub cocoa powder into caps and stems.

Temper chocolate and put in a piping bag.

Glue pieces together by piping onto underside of mushroom cap.

Let mushrooms cure upside down.

Mushrooms must be kept at cool room temp in a totally airtight container.

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