NOTE: I made these for years using my trusty hand mixer. So don't be put off if you don't have a stand mixer, any electric mixer will do.
Ingredients
4large egg whites at room temperature
1cupsugar
1/4tspcream of tartar
pinchof salt if desired
1/2 - 3/4tspvanilla extract or other flavor
Wilton "copper" and "black"
NOTE: use gel or paste food coloring as liquid will change the texture of your meringue
Instructions
Separate your eggs into a clean, dry small bowl. Then transfer to the clean, dry large bowl of a standing mixer NOTE: It is critical that the utensils you use be clean and dry! If there is a bit of yolk or leftover grease of any kind, your whites will not whip properly.Now let your egg whites sit until room temperature. While you're waiting on those egg whites
Preheat oven to 225 degrees (yep, low and slow)Set racks at top third and bottom third of oven.
Print your basketball outlines and lay them on your baking sheet. NOTE: Two sheets is helpful. This printout is available in the Subscribers' Free Printable Library.
Cover cookie sheets and the Basketball printouts with parchment paper
Prep your piping bag
Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites
When egg whites are room temperature, beat the mixture. Start at medium speed and work your way up to highest. Scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Once your egg whites are soft peaks, add the flavoring of your choice.
Now add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, waiting 30 - 60 seconds between each addition. This allows the sugar to dissolve and become fully incorporated. Continue beating at highest speed another 6 - 8 minutes until stiff peaks form. The peaks will transform from soft to stiff at this stage. You should be able to twirl your spatula in the batter and lift out a peak that will stand upright. Don't worry. It's really not possible to overbeat this like some frostings.
Save about 1/4 of your meringue batter in a small bowl. Tint the large quantity for the basketballs. i used Wilton. "copper". Tint the smaller bowl black.
Transfer meringue in to a bag for piping. Holding your piping bag in one hand, use a rubber spatula to transfer all the meringue into the bag. Then smooth all towards the tip, twist the bag and hold it closed with a band.
Fill the circled with copper, building up more height in the center.
When you have a sheet done, use the back of a spoon to very gently smooth out the piping lines.
Following the lines on the printout, pipe your meringue lines. Look at your second sheet to help you for the first one or two. This is why all those lines extended beyond the circles. They tell you were each line begins and ends.Start with straight line. Then the curved one that crosses it. Then finish with the curved on on each side of the straight line.Don't worry if you have little tails of black sticking out beyond the basketballs. We'll fix those after they bake -- easy peasy, I promise!
Remove the printouts.
Bake for 90 minutes.Halfway through rotate your baking sheets front to back and top to bottom.
Cool.At the end of the 90 minutes baking time, turn off the oven. Leave the cookies in the oven for 30 minutes with the door closed to let your cookies cool down slowly while the oven cools down.
Store.Once completely cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
NOTE: Sheets of basketballs and the hoop and net cupcake wrappers are available in my Printables Library. All subscribers have access to the library. If you'd like to subscribe click here.If you are already a subscriber, the password will be in your most current email from me.