HEAVENLY MERINGUE STARS

These sweet and heavenly stars definitely brighten the holidays. They only require a few ingredients and are easy to make and fun to pipe. The only time-consuming part is drying them in the oven. My children really enjoy the piping and after an initial try with stars, they got more and more creative, piping all kinds of different shapes. Make sure to store them in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. You might also want to hide them well, otherwise they might disappear before the special occasion you made them for arrives.

INGREDIENTS
2 egg whites (fresh eggs work best)
1/2 cup honey (I like acacia honey, but any light-colored, good quality honey will work)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Tools:
candy thermometer
stand mixer or hand mixer
cookie tin
Wilton cake decorating kit

INSTRUCTIONS
Separate the eggs and let the egg whites sit until they reach room temperature.

Place the egg whites in the bowl off a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. With the whisk attachment of the stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla extract and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.

At the same time, add the honey to a small saucepan and heat over high heat until it starts boiling. Do not stir. Lower the temperature, insert the candy thermometer, and keep an eye on the boiling honey until it reaches 240° F / 115° C. As soon as the honey reaches the correct temperature, immediately remove the pot from the stove.

Slowly add the honey to the egg whites by pouring it down the inner side of the mixing bowl while continuously whisking the egg whites at high speed. Continue to whisk the mixture until it doubles in volume and turns very shiny and stiff.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Transfer the egg white mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip (Wilton open star #32). Pipe 2” star shapes on the baking paper. You can also place a printed 2” star shape underneath the parchment paper for guidance.

Bake in the oven at 200° F / 90° C for 2 hours. Turn off the oven and leave the stars inside to dry further, and cool completely before handling. Store in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.

Tips
- The equipment you use must be clean and free of oil or grease.
- Make sure to use fresh eggs.
- Pick a day with low humidity for making the meringue.
- When you separate the eggs, make sure there is absolutely no egg yolk in the egg whites.
- The egg whites have to be at room temperature when you start.
- Ensure that the honey has the proper temperature of 240° F / 115° C.
- Make sure to add the honey to the egg whites right when the stiff peaks form. If the honey is not ready yet, slow down the beating until the honey has reached the correct temperature, then speed up the whisking once again to add the honey.

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