This mocha meringue recipe is light and lovely.

It is a recipe from the wonderful Gooseberry Patch cookbook, Christmas Cookie Jar Cookbook

It's a cookbook that is just chock a block full of wonderful recipes for sweet treats that work perfectly all year round, not just during the holidays.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Stir together the vanilla and coffee granules. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high, add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cocoa over the egg mixture. Fold in the cocoa with a wooden spoon until blended. Stir in the vanilla mixture and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Bake at 250°F for 1 hour without opening the oven door. Turn the oven off and tilt the door open. Leave the cookies in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully lift the cookies off with a thin metal spatula.

Makes 3 dozen.