What is an Aquafaba Meringue you say? This is a true story…vegans magically conjured up a light, airy, white, fluffy cloud of a meringue mix using just bean waste water. The day I discovered this was a life-changing moment for me. And then I made these simple vegan meringues as soon as I could!
‘Aquafaba’- a name I’ve only recently familiarised myself with- a few years too late, but better late than never. It literally means ‘bean water’, not surprisingly, because that quite simply is what it is. The liquid ruminants remaining once beans have been boiled; the stuff we throw away because the beans are the desirable component and the electrolyte-rich water the unwanted by-product.
As an egg replacer, there are of course, countless dishes that can be made using this liquid protein: spreads, cakes, sauces, bread and much more, but meringues – meringues are special. They can only typically be made with one ingredient as we know it- egg white. And there was no leeway, that is until now .
Questions about Aquafaba Meringue
How to make Aquafaba Meringue? To make Aquafaba Meringue, you will need the water remaining from a can of chickpeas (or other beans), cream of tartar and either caster sugar or icing (powdered) sugar. In a bowl, pour the liquid (reserve the chickpeas/beans for another recipe) and add the cream of tartar. Using an electric whisk, whisk the mixture for around 7-9 minutes until stiff white peaks form. They may form earlier, but it is important to continue whisking as the peaks may become runny again quite quickly. Slowly start to add in the sugar whilst continuing to whisk for another 7 minutes. The fluffy mixture should start to become glossy, thick and creamy, but still keep its stiffness. Spoon or pipe onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 1.5 hours. Switch off the oven and leave to cool down completely with the oven door still closed. The meringues should be crispy and light.
What is aquafaba? Aquafaba literally means bean water. It is the water that remains from boiling beans. So if you buy a can of beans or chickpeas, the water that is usually spilled down the sink when draining the beans, is the valuable aquafaba. This liquid contains a complex mixture of proteins and starched which slightly resemble egg white.
What to do with aquafaba? Aquafaba can be used in many recipes, similar to how egg white would be used, such as in meringues, macarons, cakes, cookies etc.
Can I use the leftover water from boiling my own beans to make aquafaba? You can use water from boiling beans at home yourself. However, it cannot be guaranteed that this will result in the same consistency as with the water from a tin.
Aquafaba Meringue Substitutions
Most types of beans (not just chickpeas) bought in tins contain liquid that can be used as aquafaba. The liquid remaining from beans boiled at home can also be used, but it cannot be guaranteed that it will work in the same way. This is because cooking at home is not always measured so strictly. For example, adding more water than is needed before or during cooking. This is something I do a lot as I never add enough water and it tends to dry out during cooking so I need to rush to the pot to add more!
These meringues are…
Crisp
Light
Airy
Vegan
Versatile
Simple
Made with 3 ingredients
Aquafaba Meringue Recipe
Serving size:
Makes several mini meringues
Ingredients for aquafbaba meringue:
- Leftover water from can of chickpeas
- 100g caster sugar
- 1tsp cream of tartar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 110C.
- With an electric whisk, whisk the liquid until white stiff peaks are visible
- Mix in the cream of tarter and slowly add in the sugar a spoon at a time, whilst whisking. The mix should become glossy and thick.
- Spoon into a piping bag or simply smear into rounds on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
- Bake for 1.5 hours and leave to cool in the oven, after which the meringues should be brittle and crispy
Made this Recipe?
If you had a go at this Aquafaba Meringue please feel free to give me a shout on Instagram at @food_flaneur – would love to see your pics!
If you like Meringues…
You should definitely give these recipes a try:
Big Thanks to…
Loving It Vegan for their inspiration in helping me create this recipe. You can find their version here.
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