Snake Meringues

• egg whites↗4
• cup caster sugar↗1 cup
• tablespoon cornflour↗1 tablespoon
• blue food coloring, to tint↗
• soft eating licorice↗
• miniature M&M's chocolate candies, to decorate↗

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Beat whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tblsp at a time, beating until dissolved between additions. This process will take about 10 minutes. Beat in cornflour and tint mixture with food colouring.

2. 2

   Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm-fluted nozzle. Pipe 16cm-long snake shapes, 4cm-apart, on oven trays lined with baking paper.

3. 3

   To decorate snakes, cut forked tongues from licorice using a small sharp knife and lightly press into front of meringue heads. Lightly press M&M's on top of heads for eyes.

4. 4

   Cook in a very slow oven (120C) for about 40 minutes, swapping trays halfway through cooking, or until firm to touch.

5. 5

   Cool trays in oven with door slightly ajar.