Vanilla Meringue Shards

150g       sucrose

2              vanilla beans Tahitian

125g       egg whites

  1. Place the sucrose in a bowl.  Scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the sucrose, and using your hands, rub the vanilla bean with the sucrose until evenly dispersed. Sift the vanilla sugar into the bowl of a kitchen aid, pressing any remaining lumps of vanilla bean through the sieve. Set aside
  2. Place the egg whites in a kitchen aid bowl, and whip on speed 6 to medium peaks. When the egg whites hold their shape, add 25g of the vanilla sugar. Allow the meringue to whip for 1 minute before adding another 25g of vanilla sugar. Continue whipping the merintue, adding 25g of vanilla sugar every minute until all the vanilla sugar is in the bowl. When all the vanilla sugar has been added, let the merintue whip for 2 minutes.
  3. Transfer the meringue to a sheet pan lined with parchment and place in the dehydrating oven set to 180 degrees F. Dehydrate the meringue overnight.