Chocolate Meringue Cookies

Ingredients:

3 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup cane sugar

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Butter 2 baking sheets and set aside.
• Grate the chocolate on the small side of a box grater or blend to a powder in a food processor. 
• Beat the egg whites until they begin to foam.  Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks.  Continue to beat on medium speed while you gradually add the cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
• Gradually add the chocolate still beating. 
• When all the ingredients have been added, you should have a shiny meringue.
• Spoon teaspoonfuls of the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet and place in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges and can easily be removed from the baking sheets.  Remove from the heat and cool on racks. 

Note:  This recipe makes about 70 bite-sized cookies.