1Place a saucepan on the stovetop, fill it with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil.
2In a heatproof bowl (large enough to sit on top of the saucepan without touching the water) combine the egg whites, granulated sugar and cream of tartar.
3Increase the heat to medium-high and hand-whisk the egg mixture continuously.
4Keep whisking until the sugar has fully dissolved into the egg-white mixture.
5Once the sugar has dissolved, add the vanilla extract and whisk on high until stiff peaks form.