Valentine Meringue Hearts

Preheat your oven to 225°F (110°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a pencil, lightly trace heart shapes (about 3-4 inches wide) onto the parchment, then flip the paper over so the pencil marks face down.

In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and the cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, increasing speed to high, and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Gently fold in the vanilla extract, then add a few drops of red food coloring and fold carefully until you achieve a uniform pink or red hue without deflating the meringue.

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a star or round tip. Pipe the meringue along the traced heart outlines, then build up the edges to create a shallow shell with a hollow center.

Bake the meringue hearts in the preheated oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, until they are completely dry and crisp to the touch but not browned. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool inside with the door slightly ajar.

While the meringues cool, hull and slice the fresh strawberries, and if desired, toss them with a small amount of sugar and let them macerate for 15 minutes to develop their juices.

Once the meringue hearts are completely cool, place one scoop of vanilla ice cream into the hollow center of each heart shell.

Spoon the fresh sliced strawberries and their juices generously over the ice cream and serve immediately.