White Meringue Ghosts

Yield: 16 meringues

Ingredients

• 6  egg whites
• 1/2  teaspoon  cream of tartar
• 3/4  cup  sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  tablespoon  semisweet chocolate mini morsels
• String licorice (optional)

Preparation

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Add extract; beat until blended.

Spoon mixture into a zip-top plastic bag; snip a small hole in 1 corner, and pipe mixture into ghostly shapes on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Add mini morsels for eyes. If desired, cut licorice into 2-inch pieces. Firmly pinch ends together. Insert 1 in top of each ghost for a hanger.

Bake at 200° for 2 hours. Turn oven off, and let meringues stand in closed oven with light on 8 hours.