Double Chocolate Meringues

 

3

egg whites

1/4

teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4

cup sugar

1/4

cup finely chopped hazelnuts

1

quart chocolate ice cream

1/4

cup butter or margarine

1 1/2

ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, cut into pieces

3/4

cup sugar

1/4

cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1/4

cup half-and-half

1/8

teaspoon salt

1

teaspoon vanilla

• 1 Heat oven to 275ºF. Cover cookie sheet with heavy brown paper or cooking parchment paper.
• 2 In medium bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Fold in hazelnuts. Drop meringue by 1/3 cupfuls in 8 mounds onto paper. Shape into circles, building up sides.
• 3 Bake meringues 1 hour. Turn off oven; leave meringues in oven with door closed 1 hour 30 minutes. Finish cooling at room temperature, about 2 hours.
• 4 In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar, the cocoa, half-and-half and salt. Heat slowly to boiling; do not stir. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Fill each meringue with scoop of ice cream. Serve with warm sauce.