Rose Meringue Cookies

https://homeiswheretheboatis.net/2016/02/08/rose-meringue-cookies-for-valentines-day/

Makes: 18 -24 cookies

Ingredients

3 egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of powdered strawberry-flavored Jell-O

Directions

Preheat oven to 200°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place room temperature egg whites in a large stainless steel or glass bowl (not plastic). Add cream of tartar and salt to egg whites.

Beat on medium speed with mixer fitted with whisk attachment until egg whites are frothy.

Very slowly add strawberry Jell-O and sugar to the bowl while mixer is running, stopping to scrape sides of bowl if necessary. Increase mixer speed to high and continue to beat until the egg whites are stiff and peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Add the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a medium open star tip (like 1 M) and pipe the cookies onto the lined baking sheets.

To pipe meringue roses, touch your tip to the parchment paper where the center of your flower will be and continue piping in a spiral, make two rotations. Gently lift tip up and pull away.

Bake for 2 hours. Turn oven off and allow meringues to stand 4 – 6 hours or overnight with oven door closed, to ensure they are crisp. Store cookies in an airtight container until ready to serve. Cookies may be frozen up to a month but do not refrigerate so they remain crisp.

Meringue Tips:

Grease and water can prevent your meringue from reaching stiff peaks and cause them to deflate. Avoid using plastic bowls for whipping egg whites where residual traces of grease or fat can linger and make sure your bowl and utensils are very clean and dry. For best results, avoid making meringues in humid weather.