Egg-squisite Meringues

Make amazing meringues that taste and look good!

Ingredients:
1 cup of sugar
4 large egg whites (make sure that you only have whites, and no yolk)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Lemon or orange zest (optional)
Food coloring (optional)

Supplies:
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Electric beater
Candy thermometer
Small sauce pan
Icing bag
Large bowl

Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the small sauce pan, heat sugar and 1/2 cup water over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid reaches 248 degrees on a candy thermometer. While you're doing this, stir occasionally to prevent it from burning.

While you're boiling the sugar, in a large bowl, whip the egg whites on low speed until you can make small peaks out of the whipped eggs, about 5 minutes (see picture).

When the sugar has boiled and the egg whites are whipped, increase the beater speed to high, and slowly pour the boiled sugar into the eggs, while mixing the eggs with the beater. If you want to add lemon or orange zest, or food coloring, put it in once you've poured the sugar in. Only put a drop of food coloring in.

Beat the vanilla into the eggs and sugar. Beat the liquid meringue until cool and stiff (for about 5 minutes).

Spoon some of the meringue into the icing bag, and make sure to close the top of the bag off. Squeeze the meringue onto the baking sheet to make any design you want.

Some ideas: Rabbits, eggs, mushrooms, Easter baskets, letters

Bake until dry and slightly crisp, about 1 1/2 hours.

Eat.