Although I don’t bake cookies often during the year, once December arrives I take out my baking sheets, search for favorite recipes, and set up a mini-bakery in my kitchen. I love to give holiday gifts of homemade food, and cookies are perennial favorites among my friends.
This year I culled my files and found the directions for Walnut and Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies. The recipe for these delicious nibbles was inspired by a visit to the Dordogne in the southwestern area of France quite a few years ago. In the medieval town of Sarlat I bought some walnut meringues in an outdoor market and was dazzled by the assertive taste of ground walnuts that had been baked into the crispy, golden cookies. Back home on this side of the Atlantic, I spent several days trying to duplicate them.
For my version, I beat egg whites with granulated sugar, then folded in ground walnuts, powdered sugar, and flour. Then I tossed in some coarsely chopped chocolate chips adding yet another dimension of flavor to the mix. Although most meringues are baked in a very low oven for a long time, these need only 20 to 25 minutes in a 300 F-degree oven.
These meringues would make a thoughtful holiday present packed in metal tins wrapped in ribbons or in clear cellophane bags tied with bows and a bit of greenery. They store well for up to a week (if they last that long). I also plan to keep these light crunchy cookies on hand to dip into cups of steaming hot coffee or tea when friends stop by for impromptu visits during the holidays.
