Chocolate Chip-studded Mini Meringues

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 set rack in center of oven and preheat to 275* f.
• 2 line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, dull side up, (or baking parchment). in a medium bowl, beat whites till foamy, then add salt. continue to beat till stiff peaks form, slowly adding sugar, extract, and lemon juice. fold in chocolate chips.
• 3 drop batter onto cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls--no larger, these are very rich-- spaced 2 inches apart. sift powdered sugar over tops.
• 4 bake 35-40 minutes, until tops are barely pale and meringue surface is firm.
• 5 cool completely on a wire rack.
• 6 store in a tightly covered container at room temperature.