If you’ve followed this blog for awhile, you know that I like baking, especially with eggs. Often the recipes require more yolks than whites, such as with this Chocolate Tart and this Classic Custard. You can keep the extra whites in a tight container in the refrigerator for a week. For longer-term storage, that same container can go in the freezer, where the whites will remain perfectly fine for a good six months. (Whole eggs do not freeze well – but if you beat them with a little sugar they can be frozen, too.) When working with frozen whites, defrost them in the refrigerator (it’ll take about a day) or, put the container on the counter, but use the whites when still chilled (just not frozen.) They whip up just as firm and high as fresh whites.

After the week-long pie baking marathon that leads up to my Thanksgiving tradition, I had a lot of excess egg whites, some of which I froze. I came across a container of them in the back of the freezer this week and decided to use them up. The label said “7 egg whites” which I knew translated into a double-batch of one of my favorite recipes from my Farmstead Egg Cookbook. (By the way, the cookbook is out-of-print, however I’m working on an eBook version which will be ready by spring!)

Chocolate Walnut Meringue Cookies
(From The Farmstead Egg Cookbook)

4 ounces dark chocolate
3 egg whites
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup sugar, divided
4 ounces (1 cup) finely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it in the microwave, using low power. Stir and let cool.
3. Using a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. While the machine is running, add ½ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until shiny and very stiff peaks form.
4. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining sugar and then the chocolate. Stir gently. You don’t have to mix it perfectly; thin streaks of egg whites and chocolate can remain. Stir in the walnuts until distributed throughout.
5. Using 2 teaspoons, drop large dollops of meringue onto the cookie sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. If baking on two oven shelves, switch the cookie sheets and rotate them. Bake until the cookies form a light, dry exterior but have a slightly chewy center.

Yield: 18 to 20 cookies