A simple treat with an explosion of flavours that are anything but simple! Enjoy them on their own or serve them alongside desserts like a Lemon Tart or Chocolate Ganache for added texture.

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites

A pinch of salt

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

½ cup of fine granulated sugar

1 tsp flavouring such as vanilla, raspberry or lemon extract

Food colour of your choice, optional

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 225°F/110°C and adjust rack in the oven to its centre position. Line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Lightly whisk the egg whites until frothy – about 30 seconds on medium speed. Increase the speed to high and add 3 tbsp sugar, cream of tartar and salt and whisk for about a minute. Gradually add the rest of the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time. Continue whisking on high speed until still peaks form for about 5-8 minutes , depending on the mixer’s power. When stopped, the whisk from the mixer should be able to hold the whisked meringue up with a stiff pointy peak that can hold itself (the very tip of the peak may bend a little – that’s okay). This is when you stop whisking. Do not over-beat the meringue.
3. Add flavouring or any food colour as desired and lightly beat the meringue until fully incorporated.
4. Fill the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1M piping nozzle. (Pipe a tiny amount under the 4 corners of the parchment paper on the baking sheet to prevent the paper from lifting up while piping the meringues.
5. Pipe swirls, stars, swirls or rosettes on the parchment paper with a gap of about 1½”/4 cm. These meringues will not spread so you do not need to leave a large space between them. Ideally, each meringue should be about 1½“/4 cm to 2”/5 cm in diameter.
6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes. Then without opening the oven door, turn the oven off and leave the meringues to dry inside for at least one hour.

This recipe should yield about a dozen meringue cookies depending on the amount piped for each.