Active Time

　　30 minutes

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hours

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 24 cookies

　　3 large egg whites

　　3/4 cup confectioners sugar

　　1/2 cup all-purpose flour

　　5 1/3 tablespoons (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, melted

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

　　4 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

　　Special equipment: a nonstick baking pad such as Silpat (optional); a small metal offset spatula; a pencil or a chopstick

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Whisk together all ingredients except chocolate until combined well. Working in batches of 4, drop 1 level teaspoon of batter for each cookie about 3 inches apart onto nonstick-pad-lined or buttered baking sheet, then spread each dollop of batter into a 3-inch round with offset spatula or back of a spoon.

　　

Step 3

Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time in middle of oven until edges are golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Working quickly, lift 1 cookie off sheet with a long flexible spatula, then roll it around pencil or chopstick to form a narrow cylinder. Immediately slide "cigarette" off chopstick or pencil and transfer to a rack to cool. Make more "cigarettes" in same manner. (If cookies become too brittle to roll, return to oven for 1 minute to soften.)

　　

Step 4

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, then remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat.

　　

Step 5

When cookies are cool, working with 1 cookie at a time, dip 1/4 inch of tip of 1 end into melted chocolate ("ash"), letting excess drip off, and place on a parchment- or wax-paper-lined baking sheet. Let stand at room temperature until chocolate sets.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Cookies can be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container.