Boo!!!!
I made these cute little ghosts out of meringue which I baked in the oven until dry. Then using a small paintbrush and black food coloring, I painted the eyes and mouths onto the ghosts. The pumpkins and letters are made from colored fondant. So cute!!
Happy Halloween!!
Meringue Ghosts
adapted from Joy of Baking
3 egg whites
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla, optional
black food coloring
tiny paintbrush
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and have ready a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, whisk the whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and mix well. On high speed, whisk the egg whites while adding the sugar a little bit at a time, then whisk until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Whisk in vanilla if desired.
Transfer the meringue to the pastry bag and, holding the bag perpendicular to the cookie sheet, pipe mounds of meringue to the desired shape and size.
Bake the meringues for 1 1/2 hours, then turn the oven off and leave the ghosts in the oven for several hours or overnight.
Paint eyes and mouth using black gel food coloring and a small paintbrush.