Low-Fat Chocolate Mousse in a Meringue Shell (Pavlova)

• MERINGUE SHELL
• egg whites (room temperature)↗3

  room temperature

• cream of tartar↗1⁄4 teaspoon
• sugar↗3⁄4 cup
• vanilla extract↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• FILLING
• Cool Whip Free8 ounces
• (4 ounce) package fat free sugar-free instant chocolate fudge pudding mix1
• skim milk↗8 ounces
• Hersheys Chocolate Syrup1⁄3 cup

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   MERINGUE SHELL: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a mixer bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tarter until soft peaks form.

2. 2

   While using a mixer at med-high speed, add sugar, 1 T. at a time until all sugar is incorporated.

3. 3

   Add vanilla and continue to beat at high speed until mixture stands in stiff, glossy peaks.

4. 4

   Spoon mixture onto parchment paper or non-stick foil, making a 9" circle that is mounded up at the outside edge.

5. 5

   Bake 250 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then turn oven off and allow it to stay inside the oven another hour (or overnight) to cool completely.

6. 6

   FILLING: Whisk chocolate syrup into milk, then blend the milk mixture into the pudding. Whisk only about one minute; allow pudding to sit 5 minutes to thicken.

7. 7

   Mound thickened filling into cooled Pavlova shell; refrigerate 4 hours or until filling has set. If desired, garnish with chocolate curls to serve.