Meringue Bones

A plateful of these crisp and tasty bones makes a wonderfully creepy addition to your Halloween table. 3 egg whites 1/4 tsp. (1 mL) cream of tartar pinch of salt 2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar 1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla Preheat the oven to 225° F (105° C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt until foamy. Gradually — one spoonful at a time — add the sugar, beating well after each addition so that the sugar is absorbed into the meringue. Continue beating until the meringue stands up in a glossy, firm peak when you lift the beaters out of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla. Spoon the meringue into a pastry decorating bag with a plain round tip approximately 3/8-inch (1 cm) wide (a bit smaller is ok, but no smaller than 1/4-inch). Pipe 3-inch (7.5 cm) bone shapes — one long line with two rounded blobs on each end. Pipe all the meringue at once because it cannot be baked in batches — it will deflate if it sits too long. Place the cookie sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Without opening the oven door, turn the heat off and let the meringues remain in the oven for 1 more hour to dry and crisp. Remove from cookie sheets carefully — you don’t want any broken bones! Makes about 4 dozen.