Normally, I make any recipe I share in advance a few times and make any necessary tweaks. However, this recipe is an exception because of the kitchen it came out of it.
I’ll give you a few hints:
- for 5 seasons she played a highly-skilled spy
- she coined the phrase “Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving”
- currently starring in an AppleTV hit show
Jennifer Garner! I am such a fan and have admired her kindness and humor for years. One morning I was watching The Today Show when they briefly highlighted this recipe of hers. She was baking with her mom, Lois, on what she calls her “Pretend Cooking Show”. They made these meringue chews and I’m pretty sure whatever I was doing, I just stopped because they looked delicious. Twist my arm to make a new, sweet treat.
If you’ve never had meringue, they have a unique consistency. They are incredibly light and one bite in, they crunch with a slight chew. My only warning is to snack carefully because the lightness of the treat will trick your brain into thinking you haven’t just inhaled a baker’s dozen of these sweet treats. I’ve never made them though so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Spoiler alert: they’re easy but you need a double boiler.
Jen (I’m on a nickname basis with her) and Lois made their meringue chews with dates and chopped pecans. I’m not the biggest fan of pecans so I used sliced almonds (from my Vanilla Almond Bundt Cake), dates and some chopped chocolate. I have to be honest, while both were so incredibly delicious, the chocolate meringue chew won just by a bit. Plus, I loved the marbling effect of the chocolate. It is true though that the type of chocolate makes all the difference. Below is the chocolate I used – Scharffen Berger. (link). I love the smooth, rich flavor of this chocolate and it’s used by many bakers worldwide. I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.
These cookies are great for snacking throughout the week, making the day before for a get-together, or to have on display for a game night – basically, these cookies are just fun and delicious. I truly hope you make them because I already have so many ideas of how I’m going to make and present them for some upcoming get-togethers. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup pecans (or any nut – I chose almonds)
- 1/2 cup chopped chocolate
Directions:
- Place egg whites, sugar and cornstarch in top of a double boiler. Place over boiling water and beat with hand beater for 7-10 minutes.
- Add dates and nuts (and chocolate) and drop on an ungreased baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 325° for 20 minutes.
- Enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
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