Peppermint Meringues with Beetroot Powder

3 large organic egg whites
1 pinch fine salt
1/4 teaspoon organic cream of tartar
3/4 cup fine sugar or other fine sweetener
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
BareOrganics Beetroot Powder

Special equipment: A pastry bag fitted with a round tip. A small paintbrush or cotton swab.

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Beat the egg whites and with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy, add salt. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Add in peppermint and beat again. 

3. Mix BareOrganics beet powder and cold water in a separate dish. Adjust the beet-powder-to-water ratio to get the desired red tint. Use less powder to get a paler red or even pink color. Strain the red beet mixture through a cheesecloth and gently squeeze out the red-colored liquid.

4. Fold the top of a pastry bag fitted with a round tip over and down a few inches. Dip a paintbrush in the beetroot powder mix. Starting inside the pastry tip, brush a stroke of beetroot food coloring from the tip to the top of the bag. Repeat with 3 more evenly spaced strokes. Fill the bag with the meringue; try to spoon it directly into the center so as not to smudge the food coloring (though some smudging is inevitable). Pipe 1-inch-diameter mounds of meringue spaced 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Open the oven for a few minutes, then turn it off and shut the door. 

6. Leave the meringues in the oven until they are completely dry inside, about 2 hours. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.