Ingredients
4 egg whites at room temperature
¼ tsp. Cream of Tartar
pinch of salt
1 cup superfine sugar
red food color
1. Preheat oven to 200° F.
2. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs whites with the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt at medium speed until they are foamy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing time for it to dissolve into the whites. After all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to “high” and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and shiny, about 8-10 minutes (the whipped egg whites should stick straight up when the whisk is turned upside down).
5. Add a drop or two of food coloring. Mix until combined.
6. Scoop the egg whites into a piping bag. Pipe the meringue into kisses.
7. Place the sheet pans in the 200° F oven. Bake the meringues for an hour. Turn off the heat to the oven and let the meringues sit and cool inside the oven for about an hour. Cookies should come off easily from the paper.
8. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
TIPS & TRICKS
• The meringue cookies can be colored with different colors and can be flavored with a teaspoon of vanilla or peppermint extract.
• If after 1 hour of baking and 1 hour of “cooling” the cookies still stick to the parchment. Turn the oven back on to 200 degrees. Once it reaches temperature turn the heat off and put the cookies back in the oven and allow them to sit another hour or until they are completely dry.
• The meringue cookies can be made up to two weeks in advance. Store them in an airtight container.
