Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 90°C (195°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

- Place egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. You should see gentle ripples and a bit of volume.

- Gradually add superfine sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating continuously. Continue until the mixture becomes glossy and holds stiff peaks when you lift the beaters, about 5-7 minutes.

- If using, gently fold in vanilla extract, salt, and lemon zest or juice for extra flavor.

- Using a spoon or piping bag, dollop or pipe ghost-shaped meringues onto the prepared baking sheet. Try to make them with pointed tops and rounded bottoms for a spooky effect.

- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. The meringues will turn crisp and dry, with a slight crackle when gently pressed.

- Once baked, turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside to dry out and develop their ghostly crackle for about 2 hours or until completely crisp.

- Remove the meringues carefully from the parchment paper and allow them to cool completely before serving. They should be light, fragile, and crackle softly when you bite into them.

Notes
For extra spooky effects, use a piping bag to create ghost shapes or small faces on each meringue with melted chocolate or edible markers.
