Mini Meringue Kisses

These are great as dessert nibbles for a party, delicious little chocolate-dipped meringues sandwiched together with vanilla cream, yum! 

The meringues can of course be made with all caster sugar but I like the hint of toffee that the brown sugar gives them.

Makes about 25 kisses

Ingredients

2 Large Egg Whites

50g Caster Sugar

50g Light Brown Sugar

Pinch of Salt

For the Chocolate

100g Dark Chocolate (40-50% cocoa solids)

50ml Double Cream
For the Cream
150 ml Double Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

• Preheat the oven to 125C (fan) and line a couple of baking sheets with greaseproof/baking paper.
• Put the egg whites into a clean bowl or the bowl of a mixer with a pinch of salt. 
• Whisk the egg whites until they begin to go white and frothy then gradually add the sugars, whisking constantly.
• Keeping whisking until it is voluminous and holding it's shape.
• At this point you can spoon teaspoons of the meringue onto the baking sheets or use a piping bag and large nozzle.  I like to pipe them as you get a more uniform shape and a little peak with each one, you should get about 50.
• When you have piped or spooned all the meringue onto the trays, bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes then turn the oven off and, leaving the meringues in, allow to go cold.
• When the meringues are cold, take them out of the oven but leave them on the greaseproof paper (or you can put them in an airtight container at this point and store them until you are ready to make the kisses).
• To make the chocolate ganache, break the chocolate into a bowl and pour in the cream.  Melt it either in the microwave (a couple of 10 seconds bursts should do) or over a pan of hot water, stirring as you go.  When the ganache is molten and shiny take a little meringue and dip the base into the chocolate then put it back onto the greaseproof paper.  Do this with each meringue and leave them for an hour or so for the ganache to set.
• When you are ready to put the kisses together, whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick then use this to sandwich pairs of meringues together.  Do this with all the meringues and pile the finished kisses on a plate or cake stand.  Try to serve them within an hour or two of making.