Ingredients
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1 lemon, halved
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4 large eggs, room temperature
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1 cup superfine sugar
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2 tsp cornstarch
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1 (0.67 oz) tube black decorating gel
Steps
1
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Rub the bowl and beaters of a stand mixer with ½ lemon to degrease it. Separate the eggs. There should be no trace of egg yolk in the egg whites. Reserve the egg yolks for another use.
2
Beat the egg whites until they have doubled in volume and form stiff peaks. Add the sugar very gradually, one tablespoon at a time, waiting until each tablespoon is dissolved before adding the next one. Beat in the cornstarch. Continue to beat until the egg whites shine and form peaks.
3
Put the meringue in the piping bag and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet and pipe your ghosts. They should be about 2 inches high and 1½-inches in diameter.
4
Bake the cookies for 2 hours in the middle of the oven. Turn off oven and leave the ghosts to cool in the oven for about 1 hour. To keep the ghosts from collapsing, do not open the oven door before the hour is up. Use the decorating gel to draw eyes and other details on your ghosts.
Comments
If you can’t find superfine sugar at the store, make your own by pulsing a cup of granulated sugar in a food process until it is fine but not powdery.