Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 175°F (80°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a small open-star tip (such as Wilton 1M). Set aside.
• Place egg whites and granulated sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer.
• Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl does not touch the water. Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved completely and the mixture is warm to the touch, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, typically 5-7 minutes.
• Gently fold in the pure peppermint extract.
• If desired, use a small, clean paintbrush to paint 2 or 3 stripes of red gel food coloring inside the pastry bag, from the tip upwards.
• Carefully fill the pastry bag with 1 to 2 cups of the meringue mixture.
• Pipe small (approximately 0.75-inch high) star shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each meringue.
• Refill the pastry bag as necessary, adding fresh stripes of food coloring each time if you want consistent color.
• Bake the meringues until they are crisp to the touch but not browned, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the oven door slightly ajar for an additional 30 minutes to cool slowly and dry out completely.
• Let the meringues cool completely on the baking sheets on wire racks before transferring them to a sealed container.