Meringue Puffs

All utensils touching the egg-whites should be very grease and oil free. After separating, allow egg whites to come to room temperature. If superfine sugar is not available, spin sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds or so.

Preheat oven to 200° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Sprinkle cream of tartar over egg whites and begin beating with mixer on medium-low speed. As whites begin to froth, increase the mixer’s speed to medium or medium-high.

As soft peaks start to form, begin to add sugar a tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat. Then add flavoring (vanilla, almond, mint, or fruit extracts) and coloring, if desired. Continue beating at high speed until sugar is completely dissolved and stiff peaks form. (Stiff peaks hold their shape: they do not droop at all.) Fold in chips or almonds if desired (keep in mind the size limitations of your pastry bag nozzle).

Spoon meringue into a pastry bag and dispense 1‑inch dollops onto parchment-lined baking sheets. The meringues won’t spread much, so they may be spaced close together, but not touching. (I like the smaller bite-size portion that can be popped in my mouth and allowed to dissolve.) The mixture is very sticky and difficult to form without a pastry bag; if you are attempting to drop by spoonfuls, beat the whites a little less stiffly so that the shape can soften a bit off the spoon.

Bake for 90 minutes in the center of the oven. Turn off oven and prop door open until cool. To minimize cracking, don’t open the oven door during baking. Store in an air-tight container (a 1‑gallon ziplock bag will work).

Yield: about 7–8 dozen pieces.