Pre-heat the oven to 200°F/95°C/Gas less than ¼ if possible.

Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl (that is absolutely grease free) either with a hand whisk or electric whisk until they are foamy.

Gradually whisk in the sugar and continue whisking until stiff and shiny.

At this stage you can either put the mixture into a large icing bag with a star nozzle, or a round nozzle and pipe the mixture into individual shapes on a baking tray covered with parchment paper or foil.

Alternatively, you can just use two spoons to spoon the mixture onto the tray into small round cloud-like shapes.

Place the meringues in the pre-heated oven but put a wooden spoon handle in the doorway to prevent the oven door from closing completely.

Bake the meringue clouds for about 2½  hours or until firm and dry. They should not color.

They can be stored in an air-tight tin but I'm sure they won't be there long!

You can also include a tiny drop of food coloring into the meringue mixture if you want a change and make them colorful.

Great for the kids to experiment with. Decorate with dried fruit or cream or both for a real treat!