Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a nonstick cookie sheet to prevent the cookies from sticking.
In a clean dry bowl, at a high speed, beat the egg whites. Slowly add in the sugar and vanilla extract until stiff and shiny. The egg white should form standing peaks. Check out How To Make A Perfect Meringue.
Either pipe with a pastry bag or spoon into mini peaks in the shape of a “kiss” onto the baking sheet.
Before baking, be inventive; add flavorings, cocoa, coconut flakes, chocolate bits, dried fruit bits, or nuts to this batter. You can also add a drop of food coloring to change the color and use colored sand sugar to dust the top.
Bake for 1 hour, until crisp. If the meringues look too dark, turn off the oven and allow to crisp inside the cooling oven.
Remove from oven and store in a tightly covered (airtight) container.
Variation Ideas: Meringues are also used to make small baskets and cups or finger shapes. The baskets and cups may be used to hold berries, fillings, and ice cream.
They may also be filled with jam, chocolate ganache and other fillings and served closed. Meringue can also be crumbled to sprinkle on top of other desserts or berries.
Yields 40 cookies.
To dress up your meringues, color the batter with food coloring. When removed from the oven and still warm, take the tip of a toothpick and poke one hole for each drag into the top of of layer of the meringue in the pattern of your design. Gently place and securely press one drag into each indent.
Thin bristled paintbrush
Food coloring
Lemon extract or vodka.
Pour a small amount of food coloring into a small dish. If a lighter shade is desired add a few drops of lemon extract or vodka into the food coloring.
Dip the tip of the brush into the food coloring and begin painting. Repeat as needed.
NOTE: Make sure not to make these on a humid day, as they tend to leech on to any moisture and will not set up properly or stay crisp.
Mini Vanilla Meringue Kiss Recipe: https://whatscookingamerica.net/elleneaston/minimeringuekiss.htm