Lemon Meringues

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅔ C sugar
• 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp vanilla extract OR
• in lieu of vanilla, scrape the seeds from about 1“ of vanilla bean AND/OR add lemon extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat.

In the bowl of a stand mixer affixed with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites. Beat on medium-low until foamy.

Add cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating on medium speed and slowly sprinkle in sugar. Do not add sugar too quickly (this would be where you add the vanilla bean seeds)

Turn speed to high and continue to beat eggs until thick and glossy and stiff peaks form.

Gently fold in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract with a spatula until just combined. Do not over stir.

Carefully spoon mixture in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe about one teaspoon of mixture for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 2 hours or until hardened and no longer soft and sticky. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

IMPORTANT: Store in an airtight container.

THOUGHTS: One could add finely chopped bergamot leaves to this to give it a Thai/ Southeast Asian flair.