Recipe of the Month!

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Meringues Sandwiches

I found this recipe from Cooking Light and decided to make these cookies for a party last night and they were surprisingly good! The best part is they are only 70 calories each! But, I have to warn you..it’s not an easy recipe…getting the eggwhites right is pretty tricky. Also, I thought I’d make theme extra healthy and replace the cocoa powder with chocolate protein powder! Great idea…right? Not so much. It caused the eggwhites to lose their peaks and the cookies flattened out in the oven. BUT…if you use less of it and maybe try a powder that’s less heavy…it works fine. TIP: this recipe did not make 30 “mounds” to bake…only about half. So, I ended up having to do another batch.

Yield: 15 servings (serving size: 1 cookie sandwich)

Ingredients

1Â ounceÂ unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used DARK chocolate)
1/3Â cupÂ powdered sugar
1/4Â cupÂ unsweetened cocoa (or about 1 TBSP chocolate protein powder)
2Â large egg whites
1/8Â teaspoonÂ cream of tartar
1/3Â cupÂ granulated sugar (or use Splenda, Stevia or other sweetener)
1/4Â cupÂ reduced-fat peanut butter (I used natural fresh-grind peanut butter with not one from a jar)
2 1/2Â tablespoonsÂ powdered sugar
1 1/2Â tablespoonsÂ fat-free milk (I used 2% because that’s what I buy)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 225Âº.

Place the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 45 seconds or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Cool completely.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper; secure with masking tape. Sift together 1/3 cup powdered sugar and cocoa. (sift really good if you are using protein powder cause it’s heavier)

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high (best if you get the stiff peaks first), and gradually add granulated sugar and then cocoa mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Add 1/2 cup of egg white mixture to melted chocolate; beat just until blended. Add chocolate mixture to remaining egg white mixture, and beat just until blended.

Drop 30 mounds onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake at 225Âº for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn oven off; cool meringues in closed oven 1 1/2 hours or until dry. Carefully remove meringues from paper.

Combine peanut butter and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture onto flat sides of 15 meringues, and top with remaining meringues.