Ghastly Meringues Food

MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer); beat on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium high; beat in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then add the extract or zest. Continue beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 6 minutes.
• For colored cookies, swirl a few drops of food coloring into the meringue or use a small paintbrush to paint 3 long stripes of food coloring up the inside of a pastry bag. For chocolate chip versions, gently fold the mini chocolate chips into the mixture.
• Drop or pipe the meringue as desired, about 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let the meringues stand in the oven until dry, about 2 hours. Top with or dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle with nonpareils.

VEGAN MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Strain the chickpeas directly into the bowl of a stand mixer. There should be about 3/4 cup liquid; reserve the chickpeas for another use. Add the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt to the liquid, and beat on medium-high speed until very foamy. While still beating, add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then continue to beat until the mixture forms stiff and glossy peaks, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag fitted with a large star or round tip, and pipe 2-inch mounds about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the meringues are set and no longer glossy, about 2 hours, rotating the trays (from top to bottom) halfway through. Turn the oven off, and let the meringues sit in the closed oven until they have dried out inside, about 1 hour more. (The meringues will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.)

PEPPERMINT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250˚ F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until frothy. Gradually beat in the sugar and cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. Add the peppermint extract and beat 2 more minutes.
• Using a small pastry brush, paint four 1/4-inch-wide stripes of red gel food coloring inside a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Fill with the meringue.
• Pipe 2-inch spirals about 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Bake the meringues 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let them dry in the oven, about 2 more hours.

MATCHA MONSTER MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250˚ F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the egg whites and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium high; beat in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Continue beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 6 more minutes.
• Transfer the meringue to a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe into spiral cone shapes, 2 inches in diameter and 3 inches tall, about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Decorate each meringue with a candy eyeball. Dust with the matcha.
• Transfer the meringues to the oven and bake 1 hour. Turn off the oven and let the meringues stand in the oven until dry, about 3 hours or overnight.

CHOCOLATE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until the egg whites are stiff and shiny and the sugar granules cannot be felt in the whites. Beat in the vanilla, reduce speed to low and add cocoa until combined. With a spatula put the egg white mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 2-inch meringue "kisses" on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the middle of oven for 2 hours. Turn off oven and leave the meringues in it for at least 2 more hours or until meringues are completely dry.