Meringue Shells

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar
• Dash salt

Instructions

1. Let egg whites stand in a large mixing bowl about 1 hour or till they come to room temperature. Meanwhile, cover a baking sheet with plain brown paper. Draw one 9-inch circle or eight 3-inch circles on paper.
2. For meringue, add vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed till soft peaks form (tips curl). Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed till very stiff peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar is almost dissolved (about 7 minutes).
3. Pipe meringue through a pastry tube onto the circle or circles on the brown paper, building the sides up to form a shell or shells. Or, use the back of a spoon to spread the meringue over circle or circles, building the sides up.
4. Bake in a 300° oven for 45 minutes for large shell (35 minutes for small shells). Turn off oven and let shell or shells drip in oven, with door closed, for at least 1 hour. Remove from paper. Store in an airtight container. If desired, fill shell or shells with ice cream or pudding and top with whipped cream.