1. Prepare Egg Whites and Oven:

• Place egg whites in a large, clean, grease-free bowl. Let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. This helps them achieve maximum volume when whipped.
• Preheat oven to a low 225°F (110°C).

2. Prepare Strawberry Sugar Mixture:

• Place the granulated sugar and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor.
• Process until the mixture is powdery.
• Add the strawberry gelatin and pulse briefly just to blend.

3. Whip the Meringue:

• Beat the room-temperature egg whites on medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy.
• Add the cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla extract (if using).
• Continue beating until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add the strawberry-gelatin-sugar mixture, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed after each addition until the sugar is completely dissolved. (You can test this by rubbing a bit of meringue between your fingers; it should feel smooth, not gritty).
• Continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. The meringue should hold its shape firmly when the beaters are lifted.

4. Pipe the Roses:

• Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag and insert a #1M star tip (or similar large star tip).
• Transfer the meringue mixture to the pastry bag.
• Pipe 2-inch wide roses, about 1 1/2 inches apart, onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Start piping from the center and spiral outwards to create the rose shape.

5. Bake and Dry the Meringues:

• Bake until the meringues are set and dry to the touch, about 40-45 minutes. They should lift easily off the parchment paper.
• Turn off the oven. Do not open the oven door. Leave the meringues in the closed oven for another 1 1/2 hours to continue drying out without browning.

6. Cool Completely:

• Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the meringues cool completely on the baking sheets.

7. Dip in Chocolate:

• Once completely cool, carefully remove the meringues from the parchment paper.
• Melt the chocolate baking chips in a microwave-safe bowl in short intervals, stirring until smooth.
• Dip the bottoms of the meringue roses into the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off.

8. Set and Store:

• Place the chocolate-dipped meringues on waxed paper.
• Let stand until the chocolate is completely set, about 45 minutes.
• Store the finished meringue roses in an airtight container at room temperature.