Recipe - Mocha Meringues W Chocolate

5 lg Eggs whites only
One half teaspoon Fresh lemon juice
1 pn Salt
1 cup Superfine sugar
1 One half cup Whipping cream
3 tablespoon Coffee liqueur
1 tablespoon Instant coffee powder
6 ounce Coarsely chopped semisweet
chocolate
24 Chocolate coffee beans

Preheat oven to 275 deg. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Draw eight 3
inch circles on each. Beat whites with lemon juice* and salt until soft
peaks form. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until stiff and
shiny. Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with no. 5 star tip. Pipe
rosettes or stars around circles, leaving space in center. Bake until dry
and slightly colored, about 45 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool
completely. Remove parchment. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store in
airtight container in dry place.)

Using electric mixer, beat cream with liqueur and coffee to stiff peaks.

Melt chocolate in double boiler over gently simmering water. Using spatula,
spread thin layer of chocolate on baking sheet, smoothing back and forth to
even. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Using paint scraper or putty knife held at
slight angle, push chocolate away from you quickly so chocolate folds into
"ruffles." Repeat for a total of 8 ruffles. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Set 1 meringue on dessert plate. Top with another meringue. Fill center
with cream. Repeat with remaining meringues. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Garnish each with chocolate ruffle and 3 chocolate coffee bean candies.

*Can substitute distilled white vinegar.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini