MERINGUE SNOWWOMEN

Steps:

• For the meringue: Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fit a large pastry bag with a 1/3-inch diameter plain tip and coupler.
• Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer set over a pan of simmering water to make a double boiler. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (it should read 140 degrees F on a candy thermometer), about 4 minutes.
• Put the bowl on the mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk on low to cool the mixture for about 30 seconds, then gradually increase the speed to high and whip until the mixture is no longer warm and forms very stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the peppermint extract.
• Fill the pastry bag with the meringue. Working at a 90-degree angle to the baking sheet, pipe and lift the bag to form the base of the snowwoman, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Lift the bag slightly to finish the ball, then pipe another slightly smaller ball on top. Lift slightly again and form one more slightly smaller ball for the head. Continue to pipe, leaving an inch in between, until you have 16 to 18 snowwomen. Wet your finger and gently smooth any sharp points on the heads.
• Bake until the snowwomen are shiny, bright white and dry throughout, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven and let the snowwomen cool and continue to dry in the oven, about an hour more.
• For decoration: Melt the semisweet and white chocolate chips in separate bowls in a microwave or double boiler.
• Dip the top of the heads in white chocolate, then add nonpareils to make hats. Dip a small paintbrush in the semisweet chocolate and dot on eyes, eyelashes and buttons. With a separate brush, dab a small bit of the white chocolate between the eyes and stick on an orange sprinkle for a carrot nose.
• Cut the candy belts to make scarves. Wrap the scarves around, using a dab of white chocolate to affix and close the scarves.
• Set 2 pretzel sticks parallel to each other with a space in between, like skis. Attach the skis with a smear of white chocolate on the bottom of a snowwoman and set the snowwoman on top. Repeat with the remaining snowwomen so they're all skiing. Let set. (You can stick them in the refrigerator for a few minutes to hurry this along.)