Coffee Meringues

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Gather the ingredients.

2. Step 2

   Preheat oven to 250 F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

3. Step 3

   Place egg whites and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using electric beaters or an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Step 4

   Add sugar a tablespoon at a time while beating continuously on medium-high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks , about 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Step 5

   With a spatula, fold in coffee and vanilla until coffee is mixed in just enough to create stripes.

6. Step 6

   Fit a pastry bag with a large piping tip and roll down top a few times. If you don't have a pastry bag, use a large Ziploc bag (you won't need a piping tip); fold bag 2 to 3 times to make a cuff on the outside of the bag. Using a spatula, transfer the meringue from the mixing bowl into the pastry or Ziploc bag. Unroll cuff and twist the top a few times, to close the bag and force meringue into the bottom of the bag.

7. Step 7

   If you are using a plastic bag, use scissors to snip a very small corner off of the bag. Squeeze 1 1/2-inch circles of meringue onto cookie sheets . If it is coming out too slowly, snip hole a little bigger. If you squeeze slowly and then pull tip up you will get a pretty top.

8. Step 8

   Place in preheated oven and bake for 2 hours. Then, turn oven off and leave oven door partially open, leaving meringues in oven for at least one additional hour.

9. Step 9

   Remove meringues from oven and carefully peel from paper. If they stick at all, return to the oven for another 30 minutes to finish drying out. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.