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1
In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and water.
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2
Bring the liquid to a boil over low heat, swirling the syrup and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water.
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3
Boil the syrup until it reaches the softball stage, or until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F.
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4
While the syrup is cooking, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they are foamy.
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5
Add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt and beat the whites for 30 seconds.
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6
Sprinkle in sugar and beat the whites until they hold stiff peaks.
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7
Add the syrup in a stream, beating, and beat the meringue for 10 minutes, or until it is cool.
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8
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/3-inch plain tip with the meringue and pipe out 66 mounds, each about 1-inch in diameter, onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper to make mushroom caps.
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9
Hold the pastry bag straight up and pipe out 66 cones on to the baking sheet to make mushroom stems.
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10
Bake the meringues in a preheated very slow oven (200 degrees F) for 1 hour.
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11
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and push in the undersides of the mushroom caps.
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12
Return the meringues to the oven and bake them for 30 minutes more.
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13
After the 30 minutes, turn off the heat and let the meringues stand in the oven for 2 hours more.
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14
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip with a creme ganache and pipe the cream into the undersides of the caps to simulate gills.
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15
Push a stem into each cap, stand the mushrooms upright on their stems in a shallow dish, and set them aside until the creme ganache is firm.
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16
Store the mushrooms covered.
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17
In the top of a double boiler set over hot water, melt the chocolate with the heavy cream and orange flavored liqueur, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
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18
Transfer the mixture into a metal bowl and refrigerate, let it cool stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes.
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19
When ready to use, whip the chocolate just until it holds soft peaks.
