Egg whites, sugar team up in meringue

Cookies, pies and cakes have their place, not doubt, but what I find more fascinating are those sweet treats that defy a standard definition. I like recipes that draw upon contrasts to create an unusual texture or flavor; something different, but not so out of the box that we're not drawn to try a taste.

One of the best examples of a hybrid dessert is the meringue. Most cookbooks classify this very sweet indulgence as a cookie. That's easy to understand after the first bite of crispy sweetness explodes on the taste buds, bringing to mind cookie- style texture.

However, a closer inspection reveals deeper culinary secrets. Made without flour or fat, meringues boast a confectionlike quality with sugar controlling all aspects of the dessert.

With only two main ingredients in the recipe -- egg whites and sugar -- meringues may appear to be an unpretentious dessert. Yet the powerful and dynamic partnership of egg whites and sugar set the stage for a dessert that is both unusual and surprisingly versatile.

To illustrate the potent combination of these two ingredients, consider how they behave separately. Alone, egg whites cook into a rubbery substance. When heated by itself, sugar melts and cools into a brittle mass. Put the together and they create a sweet sensation boasting flavorful crispiness.

The standard meringue cookie recipe begins by beating egg whites until frothy. Cream of tartar plays an important supporting role by stabilizing the whites. This acidic ingredient, when beaten with alkaline egg whites increases air volume and helps smooth the meringue.

With the egg whites aerated and silky, sugars steps in and works its magic, infusing sweetness into the bland whites and mellowing the firm protein bonds. In return, egg whites offer support to the liquefying sugar.

There are two important secrets to creating a successful meringue. First, be sure all bowls and utensils are clean and grease-free -- any amount of fat will deflate the egg whites. Second, add the sugar in small increments to allow the whites to easily absorb the granular sugar.

After baking a few batches of meringues, I couldn't help but explore this treat's culinary versatility. Various stir-ins such as nuts and chips seemed too chunky for my taste, but Valentine's Day gave me a cocoa-inspired idea.

Semisweet chocolate would add sensational flavor, but folding in melted chocolate weighs down the meringue along with adding too much fat. Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder provides great cocoa flavor and a deep hue with a light touch. Sifting with a small amount of powdered sugar before stirring into the batter evenly dissolved the cocoa.

Don't save decorator bags for frostings. Meringue batter easily pipes into fun and creative shapes such as hearts, flowers and letters for Valentine's Day treats.

Dark Chocolate Meringues

¼ cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa powder

¼ cup powdered sugar

3 large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

2/3 cup sugar

Heat oven to 220 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper; set aside.

Sift cocoa powder and powdered sugar together into small bowl; set aside.

In large bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until frothy; about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until soft peaks forms.

Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, to whites, beating on medium-high speed until all sugar is added and stiff peaks form; about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add half of the cocoa mixture and beat on medium speed 30 seconds. Gently scrape bowl. Repeat with remaining cocoa mixture. Increase speed to high and beat meringue 30 seconds until smooth and light. Scrape bowl well.

Spoon or pipe meringue onto baking pan in 1½ tablespoon mounds or desired shapes and bake 1½ hours. Turn off heat and leave meringues in oven for 2 hours to dry. Store tightly covered.

Makes 24 medium cookies.

Baker's hint: For a milder chocolate taste, use regular cocoa powder in place of the dark variety.

Nutrition values per cookie: 31 calories, trace amount fat (trace amount saturated), 7 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, trace amount fiber, 0 cholesterol, 7 mg sodium.