The chickpea surprise you never knew you needed 

The humble can of chickpeas, the star of countless savoury dishes, is here to surprise many in being able to also be a key ingredient in the making of a quick and easy vegan meringue. Introducing aquafaba, the liquid inside a can of chickpeas.

Like egg whites, aquafaba can be whipped into stiff peaks and fluffy clouds. It’s the ideal foundation when making meringues that are shockingly light and crunchy without using eggs. The best part is that you can completely customise these chickpea meringues. It can be flavoured with almonds, vanilla, or even a little citrus. You get a tasty and sustainable treat when you add a little cornflour to help them maintain their shape. These meringues can be a showstopper on any sweet table if you ran out of eggs or impress a vegan friend.

Quick conversion 
30ml (2 Tbsp) of aquafaba is equal to 1 egg white

Quick vegan french meringue

Flavour your meringue with vanilla, rose water or even coffee essence.  

Ingredients

90ml aquafaba
200g caster sugar
15ml lemon juice
5ml vanilla essence

Method

1. Drain chickpeas and reserve the aquafaba. (1 can of chickpeas generally has 100ml-125ml of aquafaba.)
2. Whip the aquafaba until stiff peaks form, adding the sugar gradually until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Fold in the lemon juice and vanilla essence.
4. Lather this fluffy meringue over any vegan sweet treat like cakes, tarts or cupcakes.
5. Toast the meringue with a kitchen blowtorch to get that delicious fire marshmallow flavour.

Good to know 
To bake, dollop the meringue mixture on a lined tray and bake at 100°C for 1 hour, then turn oven off. Cool in oven for 45 minutes, keeping oven door closed. Open the oven door slightly and leave meringue inside overnight to set.

Words by Lichelle May and Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine, Shutterstock

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