Meringue Kisses

It's Christmas and I've tried a new recipe - a twist on an old recipe.  They are tiny meringues with colourful stripes and flavours and no flour, yeah.  Pictured are the Mint Meringues I made.  I also made Almond Meringues with a green stripe.  Red and Green - great combo for Christmas.

Ingredients

         3 large egg whites

                  Pinch salt

                  1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

                  1/2 c. sugar

                  1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For Almond

                  1/4 tsp. almond extract

                  Green food colouring

For Lemon

                  2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

                  Yellow food colouring

For Mint

                  1/4 tsp. mint extract

                  red food colouring

Directions

1   Arrange oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat to 225 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2   In medium bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat egg white and salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat on medium-high until soft peaks form. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat until meringue stands in stiff, glossy peaks. Beat in vanilla and flavor of choice.  Taste the meringue to test the strength of the flavour added.  You may want a drop or two more flavouring.

3   For each color desired, using small brush, lightly paint 3 to 4 stripes of food coloring inside large piping bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Divided meringue among piping bags. Pipe meringue into about 1/2 to 3/4 inch rounds onto cookie sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Bake 1 hour.

4   Turn oven off. Leave meringues in oven 1 hour with oven door closed. Remove from oven; cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. 

EACH MERINGUE About 5 cals, 2 g carbs, 10 mg sodium.