These rochers are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. The added chocolate chips and walnuts add an extra level of crunch to these amazing cookies. You start these the same way you would a meringue, beat the egg whites and slowly add ingredients until you reach firm peaks like below.
Quickly fold in the walnuts and chocolate until just combined. Scoop tablespoon sized scoops and place them on a baking sheet. These cookies don't spread much, so one-inch between each cookie should be plenty.
The oven should be preheated to 300F, but when you put the cookies in reduce to 250F. Depending on the size of your cookies, it'll take anywhere from 40 to 55 minutes. Just keep checking back until the outside of each meringue is crisp.
If you over bake these, they'll have the consistency of meringue all the way through, but if undercooked it'll be soft and mushy. When done properly they'll look something like this.
Recipe
Makes: 22 cookies Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
3 large egg whites (room temperature)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnut halves
Directions
Heat oven to 300°F .
Combine sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk until no lumps remain.
Take chocolate chips and walnut halves and grind them up into small pieces.
Place egg whites in a clean bowl and beat on low speed until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add cream of tartar and increase speed to medium, continuing to beat until the mixture doubles in volume and soft peaks form, about 1 minute more.
Add the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, until firm, glossy peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add vanilla and salt and mix until just incorporated. When you turn the wisk upside down make sure the meringue holds its shape.
Quickly and gently, fold in the chocolate and walnuts. Using two large spoons, immediately spoon the meringue by heaping tablespoons, one inch apart, onto the baking sheets.
Place the baking sheets in the oven and reduce the temperature to 250°F. Bake until the meringues are somewhat dry to the touch on the outside and very pale golden brown, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through, about 40 to 55 minutes total. As the meringues cool they will dry out more and harden on the outside. If, when you open the oven to rotate them, they appear to be cracking or taking on too much color, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.
When the meringues are ready, remove them from the oven and cool on the pan for at least 20 minutes, or until completely cool.
Recipe based on Salt and Wind's Cacao Nib and Walnut Rochers
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