Meringue Mushrooms for bûche de noël

Preheat oven to 200°; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a glass or metal bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed. When soft peaks have formed, increase speed to high and gradually begin adding sugar, 2 T. at a time. Beat until whites are stiff and glossy, and sugar has dissolved. Use immediately.

Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a ½" plain tip.

To make mushroom caps, hold the tip perpendicular to the baking sheet and pipe into rounds about 1" wide and 1" high. To release, quickly pull the tip away from the meringue. Pipe 18–20 caps, then smooth their tops with a finger dipped in water.

For the stems, hold the bag as before and, as you pipe, pull the bag up to make a tall tapered cone about 1½" high. Make more stems than caps to allow for breakage. Bake meringue for 1 hour, rotating the pan after 30 minutes. Turn oven off, crack the door ajar, and let cool before assembling.

To assemble, carefully “drill” a small hole in the bottom of a cap with the tip of a paring knife. Dab melted chocolate in the hole then insert a stem. Let mushrooms dry on their sides until chocolate sets. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.