• In a bowl, combine the egg whites, sugar and vanilla essence.
• Use a hand blender or kitchen aid, with the whisk attachment and mix on low.
• Once the sugar has completely dissolved, gradually increase the speed to high.
• Check the consistency of the meringue by holding up the whisk attachment. The mixture should be stiff. Rub a small amount between your fingers, it should be sticky without any grains from the sugar.

to make meringue drops

• Place the mixture in a piping bag with a star shaped nozzle attachment. Pipe meringue drops onto to the pastry sheet leaving enough space between them.
• Bake in the oven at 80 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes. Switch off the oven and leave the door closed for at least 2 hours, best overnight to dry them out completely.
• To check if they are done, try to lift a meringue gently. It should come off the baking sheet easily and not stick to your fingers.

to make meringue shards

• Place a pastry mat or baking paper on a flat oven tray or rack. Use a long pastry spatula and spread the meringue mixture on the pastry sheet as thin as possible. Bake the same way as you did the meringue drops.
• Once the meringue has cooked and dried, using a small knife or spatula, seperate the meringue shard from the pastry mat. Slowly lift the meringue shard and break into desired sizes.

to make meringue sticks

• Meringue sticks are created by piping the meringue mixture on a baking tray in thin lines and then baked as in the steps before. The sticks don't have to be that thin. You can pipe the mixture to the size of a grissini stick, it all depends what you intend to use them for.