Suspicious Mushroom

Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they foam

Add the cream of tartar and salt, still beating

Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating at low speed until the egg whites start to thicken

Add the vanilla extract and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form

Place the mixture in a piping bag with a smooth tip 1 cm in diameter

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper

Make the 'cabinets' while the meringue is still firm, by piping small, rounded shapes onto the prepared baking sheets

Hold the piping bag upright to create a dome shape, about 1 cm high

Shape the mushrooms into their distinctive caps, about 2.5 cm in diameter and leaving them tall and rounded

If the caps have a pointed top, smooth it out with a dampened finger

Dust the cabinets and caps with chocolate chips

Bake the mushrooms at a low temperature (110°C) for 1 hour without opening the oven door

After an hour, test the mushrooms by gently lifting one from the parchment paper

If they come off easily, they are done

Turn off the oven and let the mushrooms cool completely in the closed oven or in a draft-free place for at least a day

If you're short on time, you can leave them in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 20 minutes to help them set

Cut off any rough edges from the mushroom caps

Melt the chocolate and let it cool slightly

Spread the melted chocolate over the flat part of each mushroom cap, then attach the 'cabinet' to the chocolate

Let it cool from top to bottom

If it's still too warm, put it in the refrigerator to set the chocolate

Then, serve or store at room temperature for up to 37 mushrooms.