1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees F (or nearest low setting) and place oven rack in top third of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a small saucepan, combine raspberries and sugar over medium-high heat. Stir and crush berries into sugar with the back of a wooden spoon. As soon as mixture is syrupy, remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on berries with a rubber spatula to extract all liquid. Discard seeds. You should have approximately 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce. Stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Sprinkle cream of tartar on egg whites. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.

4. Give raspberry sauce a quick stir before gently folding a third of mixture into egg whites. Repeat with remaining sauce, a third at a time.

5. Spoon meringue into a large zip-close bag and gently squeeze it to one bottom corner. Trim 1/4 inch diagonally off that corner so meringue can be piped out. Pipe meringue into 1 1/2-inch swirled circles on baking sheet. Alternately, gently scoop meringue with a teaspoon and drop by rounded teaspoonfuls on baking sheet.

6. Bake for 2 hours at 170 degrees F, turning baking sheet halfway through baking time to ensure even drying. Meringues should be dark pink with no sign of browning.

7. Turn off oven and leave meringues in oven for further drying for at least 2 more hours or overnight. Meringues will keep in a tightly covered container for up to five days, or they may be frozen for up to a month. Serve at room temperature.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, July - August 2007