What's better than peanut butter and chocolate? NOTHING!

As soon as I decided I was going somewhere to watch the Superbowl, I knew I wanted to try out some sort of new recipe to bring along! Lasagna and a salad (which were both delicious, Court and Carrie!) had already been spoken for so I decided on dessert. After all, I had stumbled upon this recipe for Peanut Butter-Chocolate Meringues a few weeks ago.... and what better time to try a new recipe than when you know you won't be stuck with all the leftovers to completely ruin your Biggest Loser Challenge?

I'm gonna warn you... these cookies take a while to prepare (if you're anything like me) and A LONG TIME to bake and rest. That being said, I still think they were delicious and I'd definitely make this recipe again!

I rocked out a 3 mile training run while these were cooling in the oven... perfect!

Peanut Butter - Chocolate Meringue Sandwiches


Gather your ingredients:

 

• 
  
• 1  ounce  unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3  cup  powdered sugar
• 1/4  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 2  large egg whites
• 1/8  teaspoon  cream of tartar
• 1/3  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/4  cup  reduced-fat peanut butter
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  powdered sugar
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  fat-free milk

And follow these directions:

1. Preheat oven to 225º.

2. Place the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 45 seconds or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Cool completely.

3. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper; secure with masking tape. Sift together 1/3 cup powdered sugar and cocoa.

4. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high, and gradually add granulated sugar and then cocoa mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Add 1/2 cup of egg white mixture to melted chocolate; beat just until blended. Add chocolate mixture to remaining egg white mixture, and beat just until blended.

5. Drop 30 mounds onto prepared baking sheet. (I think I made mine too big and only got 21).

6. Bake at 225º for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn oven off; cool meringues in closed oven 1 1/2 hours or until dry. Carefully remove meringues from paper.

7. Combine peanut butter and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter mixture onto flat sides of 15 meringues, and top with remaining meringues.

The sandwiches were delicious, albeit pretty crumbly/messy... as I think meringue cookies typically are? I wouldn't be the person to ask. This was my first real life encounter with meringue.

I wasn't going to admit this to you, but... the above pictures are all from my SECOND attempt.

The first attempt went horribly wrong... the mix became thick, sticky, not the least bit fluffy, and I knew something was wrong. Look (as I hide in embarrassment):

Then I turned around and saw this:

sitting by itself, unused, on the counter... and I instantly realized my mistake. BE SURE TO ADD SUGAR TO YOUR EGG WHITES (because the recipe very clearly says to do so...)! Unless you just like doing things twice for practice. 

Batch 1 was completely tossed, and batch 2 was much more successful!