bird & cleaver

There is no grand back story for these cookies.  One day I found myself with a bunch of extra egg whites and decided to experiment with some meringues.  This recipe does have a fair amount of sugar, but it is gluten free and low in fat in comparison to a regular butter based cookie.  I must admit that I still prefer a full fat cookie, but these guys also have a place in my recipe index.  They are crunchy, sweet and cocoa-y, and therefore delicious. And meringue is fun to make!

• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
• 1 teaspoon finely ground, good quality coffee

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Combine whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat on low speed until frothy and foamy.  Start adding a tablespoon of sugar at a time and increase speed to high.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Do not over beat.  The whites should maintain their shape but not be dry.
 Add the cocoa and coffee in three batches.  Fold in until well combined.

Fill a pastry bag with the tip of your choice, and pipe onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. If you don't have a pastry bag, use a tablespoon and drop cookies onto the cookie sheet.
Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes or until crisp.
Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack and cool completely.  Pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy!