Peppermint Meringues

1. Preheat oven to 175° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, securing corners with masking tape. Fit a pastry bag with a small open star tip, such as Ateco #22. Set aside.
2. Put egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir gently until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm to the touch, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Mix on medium high speed until stiff peaks form. Mix in peppermint extract.
3. Using a small, clean paintbrush, paint 2 or 3 stripes of red food coloring inside pastry bag. Fill bag with meringue. Pipe small, 3/4 inch high star shapes onto prepared baking sheets. Refill bag as necessary, repainting stripes with food coloring each time.
4. Bake meringues until crisp but not brown, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets set on wire racks.

Per Serving: Calories: 26, Fat: 0 g (0 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 4 mg, Carbohydrates: 6 g, Fiber: 0 g, Protein: 1 g.