• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1 cup sugar, less 1 tablespoon (remove one tablespoon from the cup and don’t use it)

You will also need:

• 1 large baking sheet
• parchment paper
• a pastry bag if desired, with a large tip (or use a large Ziploc with a corner trimmed off or dollop by hand)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. On a pastry sheet, draw 8 circles, each spread out evenly with spaces between them, using something measuring three inches in diameter as a template. If your parchment is larger than the sheet, make sure you take this into consideration as your draw. Draw heavily enough so that when the parchment is turned over you’ll be able to see the lines.

Place parchment on baking sheet before you pipe. If your parchment is curling, add a dab of meringue to the corners of the baking sheet to “glue” the parchment down.

Optional, but recommended: If you have food processor or nutribullet or some other item that easily grinds food, add the sugar and process for a few seconds. This breaks down the sugar finely and helps to make a smoother meringue.

Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer and the whisk attachment with a clean towel or rag dampened with vinegar or lemon juice to remove any possible traces of oil or butter.  Add egg whites (free of any traces of yolk) to the mixer bowl. If the whites aren’t already at room temperature, leave until they are or place bowl in warm water for at least 15 minutes.

Mix on low-speed, preferably with a whisk attachment, until egg whites become frothy, about a minute, then add cream of tartar.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form, about one to two minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium speed until sugar dissolves. Turn up to high-speed until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks means that the peak will hold straight up and not bend over when the whisk is lifted out of the mixture. When you run a little of the mixture between your fingers, the sugar should be dissolved and little to no grittiness should be felt.

Fill the pastry bag or Ziploc bag and working from the center of each circle, pipe the meringue in circles until the circles are full and build up the sides with one or two turns around.

Bake until completely dry and crisp, but not browned, about an hour, although this can vary depending on the weather and the oven. Nests should lift from parchment with ease. Turn off oven and prop the door open about an inch (a spoon is a good implement to use) and leave for an hour or until completely cooled.

from the kitchen of http://www.frugalhausfrau.com