Peppermint Meringue Sandwiches with Chocolate Filling

• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• Red gel-paste food coloring
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 175F.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Fit a pastry bag with a small open-star tip (such as Ateco #22).
4. Make meringues: Put egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer.
5. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and stir gently until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Transfer bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
7. Mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
8. Mix in peppermint extract.
9. Using a new small paintbrush, paint two or three stripes of red gel-paste food coloring inside the pastry bag.
10. Fill bag with 1 to 2 cups meringue.
11. Pipe small (3/4-inch high) star shapes onto prepared baking sheets.
12. Refill bag as necessary, adding food coloring each time.
13. Bake cookies until crisp but not brown, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
14. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
15. Meanwhile, make ganache: Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until just simmering.
16. Pour over chocolate in a small bowl.
17. Let stand 5 minutes.
18. Gently stir until smooth, about 5 minutes.
19. Let ganache cool at room temperature, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until thick enough to hold its shape, about 45 minutes.
20. (If ganache sets before using, reheat in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; repeat the cooling process.)
21. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #5) with ganache.
22. Pipe a small amount onto bottom of one meringue.
23. Sandwich with another.
24. Repeat with remaining ganache and meringues.
25. Transfer to wire racks; let set 30 minutes.
26. Cookies can be stored in a single layer in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.
27. Use a new small paintbrush to brush two or three evenly spaced stripes of gel-paste food coloring along the length of the inside of a pastry bag fitted with an open-star tip.
28. Fill the bag with meringue, and pipe star shapes onto a parchment paperlined baking sheet.
29. Each time you refill the bag with meringue, paint new stripes inside.

egg whites, sugar, peppermint, red gelpaste, heavy cream, chocolate

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/peppermint-meringue-sandwiches-with-chocolate-filling-389303 (may not work)