Meringue Merengue, it's all in the vowels

I like that a wiggly dance and a crunchy sweet stuff are nearly the same thing as far as the spelling goes.  

I manage a spot of merengue in my lovely Zumba class, however change that 'e' to an 'i' and we have ourselves a challenge.  Meringues have always alluded me, they are allegedly so darn easy to make, and yet, I have never managed it.  Mine are usually flat or burnt to an unpleasant crisp.

So, today after a meringue -'hey, how hard can it be' discussion with my hairdresser/eyebrow waxer (owch), I decided to take on the challenge of the egg whites.

Here is the recipe in case the little buggers actually work...

Chocolate chip Meringues

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 large egg whites - room temp

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Pre-heat the oven to 300°.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar.

2.  In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until frothy.  Beating constantly, add the sugar mix a tablespoon at a time, until stiff glossy peaks are formed (lift up the mixer and peaks should follow and hold).  This takes a while, 6-8 minutes.  Add the cocoa powder and mix well.

With a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate.

3.  Drop the batter onto the baking sheets in heaping teaspoonfuls about 1" apart.  They should be holding their random blob shape here.  Bake until crisp, about 30-40 minutes, rotate the sheets halfway through.  Cool on sheets for about 20 minutes.

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Drum roll please............yay! They worked. I cracked and whisked and whisked and whisked and whisked and baked and here they are.  And there they went, I have 6 left.  Eaten too quickly to even get a head count.  I think I made around 24.

I had mine with vanilla ice cream sandwiched in the middle, crunchy and crumbly and impossible to eat politely, just how I like 'em.

My Mum makes immaculate meringues at the drop of a hat, Pavlovas, little tiny meringues with cream in to die for....so there was no pressure then...  

Maybe I have the meringue gene?  Or the merengue gene?  Wonder if my Mum can merengue..