Meringue mushrooms

Ingredients:

• Protein of 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 0.5 cups of sugar
• 45 g milk chocolate, chopped, or chocolate coating
• Cocoa powder for dusting

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 135°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar, first on low speed. Then, once the whites are foamy, increase the mixer speed and slowly add the sugar, whisking continuously. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form on the beaters.
3. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large, plain tip. Pipe the stems out of the bag, lifting the meringue upwards (pipe out 2-3 more stems in case the tips get damaged during baking). Pipe out 12 mushroom caps, holding the tip of the bag low over the baking sheet. If the caps have sharp tips after piping, press them down with a finger dusted with powdered sugar.
4. Bake the meringues for about 45 minutes, until they're dry. After cooling, you can return them to the oven to dry further. Temperature and humidity can affect baking time (in warm, humid climates, meringues will take longer to bake).
5. Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl over simmering water, stirring gently until completely melted.
6. Mushroom picking: Lightly dust the caps with cocoa powder. Using a wooden skewer, poke a small hole in the bottom of each cap. Using a small brush, coat the bottom of the cap with melted chocolate. Insert the pointed end of a mushroom stem into the hole, and place the cap on a baking sheet to allow the chocolate to set.
   
   
   Mushrooms can be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container for 2 days.
   
   
   By using imagination, you can make any kind of candy from meringue, for example, Halloween treat.