Chocolate Meringue, Suspiro de Chocolate

Since I have dedicated this month to share many chocolaty recipes, I couldn't leave out this Chocolate Meringue, also known here as, suspiro, the frosting of choice for many. This is one of my favorite fillings and frosting for cakes and I am sure you will enjoy it as much as my family and friends do.

Buttercream was my favorite frosting before, but now meringue is. If you learn to prepare it well, I mean, to the right point of consistency and sweetness, it is delicious. The bonus, is that it is more light than buttercream: sugar and fat vs meringue: sugar and water. I urge you to try it, and hope you like it, and may it become one of your favorite recipes to use on  cakes and desserts.

Chocolate Meringue 

 
Ingredients:
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar 
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

For the syrup: 1 cup granulated sugar  and ¼ cup water

Preparation:
1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and set aside.
2. In a saucepan boil 1 cup sugar and ¼ cup water until a thick syrup consistency is achieved, like Karo corn syrup.
3. When the syrup begins to take consistency, you start to beat the egg whites with cream of tartar and adding ¼ cup of sugar in the form of drizzle. Beat until the whites reach the soft peak form. While still beating at high speed, add the syrup in a thin jet and steadily until it is finished. Let beat until the bowl feels cold and meringue there quite a bit of brightness.  
4. Mix ⅓ of the meringue, with melted chocolate by folding, then mix with the rest of the meringue and beat for a few seconds until a uniform mixture is achieved.

Yield: Enough to cover a half-pound cake (7 "diameter).

Note: 
a). This meringue can not be done in advance, it should be done at the time of use.
b). You can buy cream of tartar at baker's specialty stores and supermarkets. In places where it is hard to find, you can buy it at pharmacies, I have also bought some there.  I use the McCormick brand. Cream of tartar helps add body to the meringue, but is not essential. 
c) Because of the fat in chocolate the meringue may be a little flat, I do not recommend this frosting for borders and define decorations.
d) It is excellent to use as a cake filling and may I say DELICIOUS, kind of like a creamy chocolate icecream.

For this recipe I used Ghirardelli semi- sweet chocolate chips. 

Receta en español: AQUÍ

Thanks YOU for visiting, and enjoy this chocolate suspiro frosting!

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. - Romans 12:16