Cocoa Meringues With Chocolate Chips

Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.

Separate eggs, being sure NO traces of yolk gets into whites.

Get out a clean, dry bowl (no moisture or tracks of soap or fat). LIGHTLY dampen a paper towel with white vinegar and wipe down inside of bowl & mixing blades. Wipe dry with a fresh paper towel.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl.

Using an electric whisk or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whisk slowly until bubbles form, then at medium for 1 minute, then on high until soft peaks form.

Keep whisking continuously as you add in the sugar, one tablespoon at a time: wait until each tablespoon is fully incorporated before you add the next. Once all the sugar is incorporated the mixture should be smooth and firm and glossy gorgeous.

Whisk in the vanilla on low until incorporated. Add cocoa on low, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Gently fold the chocolate chips in by hand with a spatula.

Using 2 spoons (dinner table sized), or a cookie scoop & spoon, form loose blobs onto prepared cookie sheets. Allow room between blobs to spread, about 12 per sheet.

For soft centered "mallowy heart" meringues bake for 45 minutes, then remove sheet from oven and let sit for 5 minutes on sheets before transferring to cooling racks.

For fully baked meringues bake 1 hour, then turn off oven, crack the door and let cool inside for a few hours.

Once cool, store in a tightly sealed container and eat within a few days.