How to Make Meringue Ghosts

Preheat your oven to 100°C fan and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

To make the meringue, firstly weigh your egg whites. You will need double the weight of sugar to egg whites.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl using a stand mixer or electric hand whisk.

When the egg whites are thick, white, and standing in peaks then it's time to add the caster sugar. Keep the whisk on medium high and add the sugar a dessertspoon at a time. When all of the sugar has been added turn the whisk up to high and whisk for a few minutes.

The meringue mixture is ready when you cannot feel any grains of sugar when you rub a small amount of meringue between your thumb and forefinger.

Add the meringue into a piping bag and cut about 1cm from the tip. Once full, trim a piece of baking parchment to fit your tray and secure in place at each corner with a small amount of the meringue mixture.

Using the piping bag, squeeze tall meringue mounds onto the prepared baking tray.

Put the meringues in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 80°C.

Leave them in the oven for 2 hours to dry out. After 2 hours, turn the oven off but leave the meringues in the oven until completely cold – or overnight.

Once the meringues are cold, use a small paintbrush to paint on eyes and mouths.

Use black food colouring thinned down with a drop or two of clear alcohol like vodka.

Your ghost meringues are then ready to be devoured!