Meringue Mushrooms

*Meringues*

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 cup. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Place egg whites in a grease-free bowl. Add cream of tartar, and mix on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar in, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until all sugar in incorporated, and stiff peaks form. Add in vanilla, beat 30 seconds longer. Fill a pastry bag fitted with large round tip. Pipe meringues onto a parchment covered cookie sheet, and bake for 90 minutes at 200 F. Remove cookie sheets to wire rack, and cool completely. Store meringues in an airtight container.

For mushrooms, hold pastry bag perpendicular to the cookie sheet, and pipe round circle, about 1- 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Release pressure, and drag tip off the side of the circle rather than straight up so as not to leave a peak. For the stems, hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, and pipe straight up, about 1 inch. Release pressure, and lift.

After the meringues were baked and cooled, I melted 1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips. On the bottom of each mushroom cap, make an indentation with the end of an artist's brush where you'd like to attach the stem.

Place a small amount of melted chocolate onto the bottom of the mushroom cap. Attach the stem.

While holding the stem in place, feather the chocolate around the stem to the outside edge of the mushroom cap, creating "spores".

Place mushrooms on a baking sheet, and allow to dry.

Dust the mushrooms with cocoa powder, and enjoy.