Mini Vanilla Meringue Baskets

Experimenting with meringues. I think my oven was a bit too hot, because the interiors were a bit too sticky, and the exteriors were not dry enough.




Vanilla Meringues

- 4 egg whites
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/3 tsp cream of tartar
- vanilla extract

1. I believe the general rule of thumb for a French Meringue is 2 egg whites per 1/2 cup sugar. However, I prefer mine a little less sweet, so I halved the sugar amount.
2. Separate whites from yolks with fingers, being careful not to get any yolks into the white mixture. Let whites sit at room temperature about half a day.
   
3. Add cream of tartar.
   
4. Whip to soft peak stage.
5. Add in sugar, 1 tsp. at a time.
6. Whip to hard peaks.
7. Fold in vanilla extract.
8. Pipe little baskets onto Silpat.
9. Bake at 250 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until dry and hardened.
10. Leave in oven to dry and cool off.
11. Store in air-tight container, do NOT refrigerate.
12. Will last 1-2 days before the meringue starts to weep.
13. Plate no more than half an hour before serving.