September 13: Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Ingredients:

6 1/2 oz good quality dark chocolate, chopped
2 large egg whites, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick foil.
2. Melt the chocolate: Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir well. Repeat, heating at 50% power and stirring at 30-second intervals until smooth. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a large, preferably metal, mixing bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks just start to form. Beat in the vanilla. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high, until glossy. With a rubber scraper, fold in the melted chocolate. Using a heaping teaspoon, drop batter 2 1/2 inches apart on one of the prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies appear set. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate hardened to the side of the bowl...an omen to what was to come?

AHH!

Thoughts: Obviously a complete freakin' disaster. I have no idea what happened. My first guess would be that the peaks weren't stiff enough before adding the rest of the ingredients. Maybe the chocolate didn't cool enough, maybe the eggs weren't at room temperature? I don't know but I threw the whole thing out.