CHOCOLATE CHIP MERINGUE BARS
Cookie jar a little lonely? Need a quick yum for a weeknight dessert? Gotcha covered with this one.
Adore these little things! Shortbread style crust, smooth chocolate, chewy meringue topping...what's not to love?
(I made these a long time ago and left off the chocolate...instead spread blackberry jam over the crust. Or keep the chocolate AND the blackberry jam. Wow!)
In these photos I only had half a package of chips, so there will actually be more than it looks like in mine!
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3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
One 12-ounce package chocolate chips
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup brown sugar
Optional: 1 cup blackberry, raspberry, strawberry jam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl cream the shortening and sugar. Beat in the salt, egg yolks, and vanilla. Gradually blend in the flour. Spread the mixture evenly in the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.
In a medium bow, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in the brown sugar.
(Add the jam, now, if you want.) Sprinkle the chips over the crust. Carefully spread the meringue over the chips. Return to oven for 20 minutes, or until meringue is set and golden.
Allow to cool and cut into bars.
