Chocolate Meringue Hearts with Strawberry Mousse

Description
What could be better than chocolate hearts made of dry meringue and a strawberry mousse center and garnished with a fresh whole strawberry in the center of each heart.

Ingredients

 * Meringues
 * 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
 * 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 * 4 egg whites
 * 3/4 cup sugar
 * Mousse
 * 1 16-oz. container frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed
 * 1/4 cup raspberry liquer or water
 * 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
 * 1 container whipped topping
 * fresh whole strawberries for garnish

Directions

 * Meringues
 * 1) Heat oven to 200 degrees F.
 * 2) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
 * 3) Trace around 3 inch wide heart shaped cookie cutters on paper to form 8 hearts, invert paper.
 * 4) Sift confectioners sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder, reserve.
 * 5) Beat 4 egg whites until frothy.
 * 6) Reduce speed, beat in 3/4 cup sugar until dissolved.
 * 7) Increase speed, beat until stiff peaks form.
 * 8) Sprinkle 1/3 cocoa mixture over meringue, fold in until combined.
 * 9) Fold in remaining cocoa mixture.
 * 10) Transfer to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe some meringue onto paper to fill in hearts. Pipe meringue rims along heart edges.
 * 11) Bake 1 hour, turn off oven, let stand in oven 6 hours or until completely dry.


 * Mousse
 * 1) In blender, puree strawberries
 * 2) In pot over low heat, combine raspberry liqueur or water, unflavored gelatin, and 1/4 cup strawberry puree, heat until gelatin is dissolved.
 * 3) Add gelatin mixture to puree.
 * 4) Fold in 1/3 of the container of whipped topping, thawed, until blended,
 * 5) fold in remaining whipped topping.
 * 6) Press plastic wrap against surface, refrigerate 6 hours.
 * 7) Transfer mousse to pastry bag fitted with large star tip.
 * 8) Pipe each heart with mousse.
 * 9) Garnish with fresh whole strawberries

Makes 8 servings.

Contributed by:

 * World Recipes Y-Group