Meringues

Preheat the oven to 200 °F. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper and arrange the baking racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt and beat on low speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat until whites begin to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until the whites form stiff peaks.

The Snowdrift: Using a rubber whisk, scoop out ¾ cup of the meringue and drop it on the cookie sheet, letting it peak in the middle. Sprinkle white sanding sugar on each snowdrift and bake until the exterior is hard, about 2 hours. Turn the oven off, prop the door open and allow meringues to sit in the oven for another hour or so.

Forest of Trees: Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a round pastry tip or Ziploc baggie with the corner snipped. Pipe a quarter-size round of meringue on the cookie sheet and on top of that, a nickel-sized round and a dime-sized round. Continue with remaining meringue. Sprinkle green sanding sugar all over the trees and bake until the exterior is hard, about 2 hours. Turn the oven off, prop the door open and allow meringues to sit in the oven for another hour or so.

Snowflakes: Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a small round pastry tip or Ziploc baggie with the corner snipped. Pipe snowflakes in desired pattern directly onto the parchment. Bake until the exterior is hard, about 2 hours. Turn the oven off, prop the door open and allow meringues to sit in the oven for another hour or so.