Well, it started while I was downtown buying my sister’s wedding gift.  Since I have never met a mall I didn’t like, I stopped by the local Williams Sonoma and peeked inside to check out the fall goods.  Then what caught my eye made me quite excited…cacao nibs!  These have been more difficult to anticipated to find and I actually had forgotten about them after an unsuccessful search in Cambridge a few months earlier.  So of course I left with two boxes and $20 less in my pocket (not the cheapest cooking ingredient, but at least I know where to find them in the future!).

Well I knew immediately that I was going to be making some meringue (rochers to some) cookies with the cacao nibs!  They are one of my favorite types of cookies, and to be honest, I’m usually scared to make them because my version never compares to a bakery!  So once I got home I starting mixing away (ok..not right away, I watched the season premier of The Office first).

So I whipped the egg whites to form stiff peaks (ok, maybe not quite like a board)

but I produced some cookies light as a feather (which were subsequently devoured)

Cacao Nib Meringues

• 1 cup cacao nibs
• 2 egg whites at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

-Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

-Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt int a stainless steel bowl and combine until the peaks are stiff.  It’s important to note that the egg whites will react with other liquids, so make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry prior to use

-Fold in the cacao nibs and vanilla

-Scoop the meringue by tablespoons onto the baking sheet.  Then bake for ~15-20 minutes.

-Place on wire baking sheet to cool and subsequently harden