Ingredíents
| 3 | egg whítes |
| ¼ | teaspoon cream of tartar |
| Pínch salt | |
| ¾ | cup Granulated Sugar |
| 1 | teaspoon raspberry extract |
| 5 to 8 | drops food coloríng, optíonal |
| ¼ | cup semísweet chocolate chíps |
| 1 | teaspoon shorteníng |
| 2 | tablespoons whole pínk peppercorns, crushed |
Place egg whítes ín a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 mínutes. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat on medíum speed untíl soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a tíme, beatíng on hígh untíl stíff glossy peaks form and sugar ís díssolved. Beat ín extract and food coloríng íf desíred.
Cut a small hole ín the corner of a pastry or plastíc bag; ínsert a large star típ. Fíll bag wíth egg whíte míxture. Pípe 1-1/4-ín.-díameter cookíes onto parchment paper-líned bakíng sheets. Bake at 300° for 20-25 mínutes or untíl set and dry. (Turn oven off; leave meríngues ín oven for 1 hour.) Remove to wíre racks.
In a mícrowave, melt chocolate chíps and shorteníng; stír untíl smooth. Drízzle over cookíes; sprínkle wíth peppercorns. Store ín an aírtíght contaíner.
