Merry Elf Hats - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 -3 drops red food coloring or 2 -3 drops green food coloring
2/3 cup sugar
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
3/4 cup cashews, finely chopped (use your favorite nut, cashews are my fave and what I use)

Preparation

In a medium mixing bowl allow egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a cookie sheet; set aside.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Add vanilla, cream of tartar, and food coloring to the egg whites. Beat whites at medium speed until soft peaks form.
Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating about 5 minutes on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe small 1-inch-high mounds that end in an angled tip about 1 inch apart on prepared sheet.
Bake about 15 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.
When cookies are cool, dip bottoms into melted chocolate, then into chopped nuts.
Set on waxed paper until chocolate is firm.
If desired, add a dot of colored icing to each tip.