-Use a metal or glass bowl to whip up the meringue mixture as plastic can sometimes retain oily residue from past cooking adventures

-Get out 2 bowls for separating the egg yolk from the egg white

-Have an electric mixer handy to whip the meringue into shape

-Have a plastic bag with a frosting tip ready to pipe the meringue onto the baking sheets

-Having smaller granules of sugar will ensure that there is no grainy texture in your meringues; you can do this by taking a grinder to create the smaller sugar granules

-Don't stick your fingers in the meringue batter as the oil from your fingers could prevent the meringue from getting to the stiff peak consistency

-Once the meringues are in the oven, DO NOT open the oven until after the 1h 25 - 1h 30 minute period as changing the heat can completely flatten your cookies. ie. the meringues will fall into themselves

Leave the 4 eggs out for at least 30 mins to bring them to room temperature - then separate the yolks from the egg whites carefully. I crack the egg and separate the shell halves, and then move the yolk back and forth between the shell halves until the whites are all removed into a bowl. 

Be careful not to get any yolk into the whites as this will a. cause the meringue to take a lot longer to whip to stiff peaks and b. your meringues will have a trace of colour in them. Some people argue that your meringues won't whip up at all so just be careful!

Preheat the oven to 200F. Using a double boiler method, place your glass bowl over the pot of water and bring the water to a low heat. Add the sugar in and then the 4 egg whites. This is the Swiss method of making meringues and it helps the sugar dissolve even more while whipping! Whip with the electric mixer on high for 6-8 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. 

Incorporate the cream of tartar and the vanilla extract. In a pinch, your meringues will still hold without the cream of tartar.

If you're doing multiple flavours, see the below for optional instructions before doing this step. Put the meringue mix into a frosting baggie with the tip of your choice and pipe onto baking sheets. I like to use both silicone baking mats or parchment paper to line the baking sheets for ease later on.

Sprinkle toppings like cinnamon, peppermint candy bits, or other things on the meringues.

Slide in the oven and leave for 1h 25 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the meringue for another 10 minutes inside and then remove to airtight containers to store.

When the meringue is close to being the right consistency, move half into another bowl and add lemon or mint extract and whip both bowls to stiff peaks. They don't have to be on the double boiler at this point.