- 1?2 cup Malted Milk Chocolate Hot Fudge, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon Caramel Sauce, at room temperature (optional)
- 2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals (such as Folgers)
- 1?2 teaspoon coffee extract (optional)
- Heat the oven to 275°F. Have a couple of half sheet (13 by 18-inch) nonstick pans ready or line a couple of half sheet pans with parchment paper.
- To make the chocolate swirl:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the hot fudge on medium-high speed until lighter in color, approximately 4 minutes. Beat in the caramel. Transfer to a bowl and leave at room temperature while you make the meringue. Clean out the stand mixer bowl well, ensuring that there is no residual oil.
- To make the meringue:
- In a heatproof bowl that fits over a pot for a double-boiler setup, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and salt to break them up. Put the bowl over (but not touching) barely simmering water in a pot and warm the egg white mixture, whisking often, to the temperature of a scalding bath, approximately 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and dry the bottom with a kitchen towel.
- Pour the warmed egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high until the whites have cooled and the meringue is thick and shiny, approximately 5 minutes. Add the instant coffee and extract and whip on low speed just to combine, 10 seconds.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the hot fudge into the meringue to form a swirl. The chocolate needs to be incorporated enough so that it doesn't bleed out of the cookies as they bake but not so incorporated that the meringue loses the swirl completely.
- Using two spoons, portion the meringue into 1 1?2- to 2-inch blobs onto the prepared pans, about 10 cookies per pan. Bake for 2 hours. Turn the oven off and let the cookies cool in the oven to dry out completely, at least 1 hour or overnight (just remember they are in there before cranking up the oven again).
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, depending on the humidity level in the room.