Meringue Cookies... Again!

So, after my failed attempt at the Chewy Meringue Cookies recipe, I went home for spring break and my grandma told me what I was doing wrong. She said that I had to be absolutely sure that my bowl and utensils were dry, that there was low humidity, and that I had to be sure I beat the mixture long enough (she said it could take up to ten minutes). I told her that I did everything right (I still think I did), and she asked me what the recipe was, so that we could make them right then to see if we could get them to work.

Since we had all the ingredients, we got straight to work. We used four egg whites, and she beat them a little before adding the sugar, and before putting them over simmering water. Right away they started foaming! Like, immediately! My eggs didn't do that, the first or second time.

See! They're foamy and beautiful! 

Next, she added the sugar (gradually) while I chopped the chocolate. She then put the mixture over the simmering water, even though they were already gaining volume without the heat! 

Already so voluminous! 

Next we took it off the heat, and kept beating. We probably beat the mixture for a total of ten minutes. And it was gorgeous! 

 Look at that peak! 

So glossy!!!

Next, we folded in the chopped chocolate, and about 1.5 tablespoons of this really intense drinking chocolate mixture... I think it's called Cacoco. 

 So pretty! 

And look! It still has such nice peaks! 

Finally we scooped the mixture onto parchment paper, and baked at approximately 350 degrees... although our oven is super sketchy and must've been hotter cause it cooked them way too fast. 

We baked them for a total of 10 minutes... The original recipe said to cook for 8, then rotate, then 8 more minutes. We did rotate them, but we did it when we thought one side was getting too cooked compared to the other. 

This is what they're supposed to look like!

The finished product was delicious, and what it was supposed to be! The only flaw was our wonky oven, which burned the bottoms a little. But they were so airy, but also chewy on the inside! Looking back on my first attempt, I think that my biggest problem was that I was using the whisk attachment on my mixer, which is what the recipe said to do (and what other websites said to do!). Our second attempt we just used regular beaters, and everything was fine. I also think that something might've been wrong with my eggs... they were kinda old, and our fridge is really cold (maybe this affects them? I've read they should be at room temperature...). Either way, I'm glad that the recipe finally worked out, even though I'm frustrated it didn't work out the first time cause I followed the directions. 

We proceeded to eat all but two of them, which my grandma said we had to save for my mom. ALL of them. They were so good, you can't just eat one or two, you have to eat at least 7. Thanks Grandma, for making cookies properly without even using directions, and making me feel like a baking failure :p