Espresso Kisses

I have a confession..I love coffee..not just a cup of coffee but I love the flavor of coffee. Mocha or Cappuccinos are my favorite. Whenever I pass the frozen food isle at the grocery store, I always gravitate towards the coffee flavor ice cream.

My mom made these Espresso Kisses, which essentially is an espresso flavored meringue, I was in heaven. They are by far my favorite Christmas cookies. Light, airy and just a pop of coffee in each bite. Meringues are one of the simplest cookies you can make and best of all - they're also gluten free, low in fat (fat free unless you add nuts or chocolate), and relatively low calorie as long as you keep them small.

If your not into the coffee flavor, you can just skip the espresso. Do you have a version that you like to make? What flavor do you put in your meringue cookies? I'd love for you to share.

Ingredients: 

• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted chocolate to fill meringues

 Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. and line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil.

In a mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, salt and cornstarch. Start whisking on medium low speed until they are frothy and white. Add the espresso powder and whisk until soft peaks form. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time and whisk until the whites hold stiff peaks. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pipe the meringues onto the cookie sheets and bake for 40 min, or until dry to the touch. Tip: Put a wooden spoon in the door to leave the oven open a crack. This will allow for the hot air to escape to ensure your meringues won't over bake.

Using a small pipe with the melted chocolate to fill the middle of your meringues. Let cool for the cookie middle to harden.

Enjoy!