Preheat your oven to 120°C (250°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

Gradually add the caster sugar while continuing to beat the egg whites. Beat until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks. This should take about 5-7 minutes.

Gently fold in the peppermint extract and a pinch of salt. If you want, add a few drops of red food colouring to create a pink swirl effect.

Using a piping bag or a spoon, drop dollops of the meringue mixture onto the prepared baking tray. Leave some space between each dollop.

If desired, sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the meringues for extra flavour and decoration.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until the meringues are crisp on the outside and easily lift off the parchment paper.

Once done, turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for an additional 30 minutes to an hour to dry out completely.

Remove the peppermint meringues from the oven and let them cool completely before serving.