Aquafaba – this blows my mind! A few years ago, some genius discovered that the water (brine) from a can of chickpeas acted pretty much exactly like egg whites when whipped. And then someone named it aquafaba!
Basically, the protein from the beans leaches out into the water and makes the water remarkably similar to egg whites in how it behaves. Which means you can use that water for all sorts of egg-like things. Like meringues! I must admit I was very skeptical at first, but it works. The curious part is that if you taste the meringue mixture before it goes into the oven there is a faint chickpea flavour, but once baked all traces of chickpea vanish.
You will need:
6 tablespoons of Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
¼ teaspoon of Cream of Tartar
½ cup (100gr) white sugar
½ teaspoon of Vanilla extract
This is how:
- Preheat your oven to 120 Degrees Celsius.
- Place the aquafaba and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer. And start mixing at a slow speed until foamy.
- Gradually increase the speed until the mixture becomes white and glossy, and stiff peaks begin to form.
- Now add the sugar slowly while whipping on a fast speed.
- Add the vanilla and keep whipping until glossy stiff peaks form.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper/a silicon mat and pipe the meringues onto the tray.
- Pop into the oven and bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes switch the oven off, but do not open the door for an hour. This is especially important.
- After the meringues have baked for 45 minutes and rested in the oven for a further 60 minutes without the door being opened, you can remove them from the oven.
- They should be airy and crisp. Store them in an airtight container and do not keep them too long.
Enjoy!
xxx
Recipe adapted from lovingvegan.com.
