.vaille que vaille. : Dark chocolate meringue sandwiches

So.

I've got about, a day until winter quarter starts up again and nothing packed, nothing prepared, I don't even think I've paid my registration. I didn't waive my SHIP until yesterday morning. (You UCLAers know what I'm talkin' about) This is how far going back to school is from my mind right now. Instead of doing what a normal, sane, pragmatic person would do, which is, what I can only imagine to be actually remedying this lack of preparation by, well, preparing... I go and channel my inactivity through more inactivity.

Oh, and baking.

I baked like a monster today. A fiend, Mylo would say. I had attempted to bake the night before, with disappointing results. (More on that later) But this morning had more promise. This morning I woke up, well rested, warm & cozy, the sun shining, and my parents OUT of the kitchen. A perfect formula for a good baking experience. I know this sounds so utterly cliché but I find baking so relaxing. Flour, butter, sugar, eggs makes the combination of so many wonderful final products. Best of all -- they make people happy :)

And I like making people happy...

Anyway, the recipe I made was a straggler from the many hors d'oeuvres I had on the menu for New Years Eve. As usual, I'm much too overzealous and miscalculate the gap between time & practicality. No matter. It's a really simple recipe that I retrieved from one of the baking books that Dayanita gifted me a few years ago & also incredibly elegant - looking with minimal effort. So if you prefer something gooey, messy, and barbaric, this is not the recipe for you.

Chocolate Meringue Whipped Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients

For the Meringues:
4 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup superfine sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 oz dark chocolate, grated

For dipping & filling:
3 1/2 oz dark chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream (this made too much for me, you'll probably be fine with 1/3 c)
1 tbs. confectioner's sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit & line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whip egg whites in a mixing bowl until small peaks form, then, add 1/2 cup of the superfine sugar gradually, by tablespoon, until incorporated.
3. Whip until shiny and glossy.
4. Carefully fold in cornstarch & grated dark chocolate.
5. Place into a pastry bag with a star tip & pipe onto parchment paper.
6. Place into oven for about an hour, or until slightly browned. Turn off the oven & leave the meringues in the oven afterwards to prevent moisture and sticking for about 20 - 30 more minutes.
7. Melt the dark chocolate for dipping in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring with a fork at the end of each interval. Dip the bottoms of the meringues into the melted chocolate and cool face down (chocolate side up) on a cooling rack.
8. Whip the heavy cream and confectioner's sugar until semi-stiff consistency. Place in pastry bag and pipe onto chocolate-dipped meringues. Sandwich 2 by 2 together.
9. Sprinkle some cocoa powder on top.

Makes about 20 - 24 meringue sandwiches
Total preparation time: 30 - 40 minutes

I hate recipes that leave you with deceivingly more than they propose. This recipe stated that I would only get about 18 piped meringues, but I discovered upon piping, that I had double! Additionally, the whipped cream was also doubled. I wonder how freaking large they made their meringues, because. . . this was ridiculous.

Anyway, hope you enjoy them. They were a bit on the sweet side for me, but maybe you like that ;)