Mushroom Clouds
(preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit)

- 3-4 egg whites (at room temperature)
- cocoa
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 8 oz dark chocolate (bittersweet or semi-sweet)
- 1 cup superfine sugar*

Beat the eggs and tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar a little at a time while continuing to beat, until all the sugar is in and the mixture is glossy and stiff.

Using a piping bag with a no. 8 tip, pipe out an equal number of caps and stems onto an ungreased non-stick cookie sheet. The caps should be about the diameter of a quarter, and the stems should be about an inch high and the diameter of a soda straw.

Sprinkle cocoa over the caps and stems, and then blow on them to spread out the cocoa more evenly. You may want to do this outside, as cocoa goes everywhere.

Bake for 2 hours at 200 degrees.

Carefully remove the caps and stems from the cookie sheet. With a dull knife, snip the top of each stem so it has a flat top surface.

Melt the chocolate (in a double boiler or microwave). Spread the chocolate on the base of each cap with a butter knife or spatula, and use it to glue a stem in place. Put the assembled mushrooms in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to harden the chocolate, then put them in an airtight container.

Makes 3-4 dozen.

*superfine sugar is NOT confectioner's sugar or 10X sugar. If you cannot find superfine sugar, it's easy tomake. Just put granulated sugar in a blender or food processor, and blend for 1 minute.