Directions (continued)

• 4-1/2-in. stocking. Bake at 300° for 35 minutes. Turn oven off
• and do not open door; let meringues dry in oven for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet. When meringues are
• completely cooled, remove from parchment paper and store in an
• airtight container at room temperature.
• For cranberry filling, combine the sugar, cornstarch and cranberry
• juice in a saucepan until smooth. Stir in the cranberries. Bring to
• a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; cook until berries
• pop, about 5 minutes. Mash and cool.
• For cream cheese filling, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese,
• confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into
• a pastry or plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the corner of bag;
• insert star tip. Pipe cream cheese mixture in a 1-in. band at the
• top of each stocking; pipe mixture to form heel and toe of stocking.
• Spread 4-1/2 teaspoons cranberry filling in the center of each
• stocking. For the holly decoration on the stocking cuff, garnish
• with mint leaves and dried cranberries. Yield: 16 cookies.