Cardamom Rose Meringues

Slightly modified from All Recipes.
Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2/3 c. white sugar
1/4 c. water
1 Tbsp. rosewater
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. salt
1 drop red food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar together with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
Place sugar, water, rose extract, cardamom, salt, and food coloring in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer the mixture for a minute or two, stirring constantly, and very slowly pour the syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites, beating constantly with electric mixer on high speed. Beat until the syrup is incorporated and the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Drop by spoonfuls or pipe into rosettes with a star tip onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until the meringues are hard, 1 to 1 1/2 hours; turn off the oven, and allow them to cool inside the oven to finish baking the insides.
Note: For mini meringues, pipe quarter-sized dollops of the meringue mixture onto the baking sheet and bake for around 40 minutes.
Yield: 20 large meringues or 4-5 dozen mini meringues.