Ingredients

200g egg whites
300g sucrose
20g cornstarch
3g cream of tartar
5g burnt vanilla
3 vanilla beans madagascar
2g salt

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a kitchen aid mixer fit with the whip attachment. Begin whipping the whites on speed 6.

Meanwhile, place the sucrose, cornstarch, cream of tartar, burnt vanilla, and salt in a bowl and toss until evenly distributed.

Split the vanilla beans and scrape the seeds from the pod. Add the seeds to the sugar mixture and use your fingers to rub the seeds with the sugar, breaking them up and distributing them into the mixture. Sift the sugar mixture.

When the eggs are thick and foamy, and holding medium peaks, add the sugar mixture 25 g at a time, letting the meringue whip for 1 minute between additions. When all the sugar is added, whip another 2 minutes until the meringue is holding strong tight peaks.

Using a regular sized service spoon, dollop the meringue onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake at 250 for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the sheet pan from the oven and allow to cool on the speed rack. When cool, gather and store in a fish flat with parchment between the layers.

Formulation courtesy of The Pastry Department