Meringues – Egg Free!

Aquafaba is the bombe

That liquid from a can of chickpeas that you’ve been tipping down the drain is pretty amazing stuff. You may have heard of aquafaba, and already be using it in anything and everything which is what one does.

For those not already converted, it whips up much like egg whites and can be used as an egg substitute in so many ways. I encourage you to join and explore this Facebook group for ideas and tips galore.

There are many variations on the basic meringue and whipped coconut cream recipes, below is what I find works for me. You can use each element together or as you wish, I highly recommend an Eton Mess style dessert made by layering the coconut cream, crushed meringue, and a drizzle of the molasses. It’s up to you how much effort you put in. Just eat them off the tray! Heed my warning, you need to compose the dessert immediately before eating as the moisture from the pomegranate and cream will make the meringue disintegrate relatively quickly – great at the time, but not if it’s been let to sit.

The meringue is quite sweet, and you can dial back the sugar a little if you wish. Keep in mind that it is essentially a sugar structure, however, with the aquafaba evaporating to leave behind the shell. Sugar is crucial here. I find that a 1 part liquid to up 2 parts sugar works well and that is what is noted below.

Meringue – sandwich style

Aquafaba whips up like nobody’s business, and you can’t really take it too far. You will find that beating it to stiff peaks before adding the sugar (by the tablespoon) is important.

Stiff peaks

The sugar is fully incorporated when it is no longer gritty when you rub the mixture between your fingers, and it will become beautifully glossy. I add a little cream of tartar for stability, I’ve read this isn’t essential but I’m too nervous to try it without. You can add flavourings other than vanilla if you wish, and can certainly tint the mixture any colour you like.

So shiny!

The meringue may flatten slightly when you bake it, but I find it holds up pretty well. They also take a while to bake 1 1/2 hours as a minimum, this is a perfect amount of time to catch up on an episode of Game of Thrones (just saying).

Before they go in the oven

Whipped coconut cream is nothing new, just be sure to chill the can of cream overnight so that the cream floats to the top ready for scooping. I keep a couple of cans in the fridge so that you can be ready for any kind of whipped cream situation. Be sure to keep that delicious coconut water for smoothies or chia puddings.

Firm cream from the top of the chilled can

The orange blossom water is very subtle, so add more or less to taste. You also don’t need much sweetener, I used agave syrup but by all means use regular sugar, xylitol, maple syrup, coconut sugar – whatever floats your boat. You can find pomegranate molasses and orange blossom water in some supermarkets, Middle Eastern grocery stores are a safe bet. By all means, use vanilla or just let the subtle coconut flavour shine through.

Enjoy!

Vegan Meringues with Orange Blossom Whipped Coconut Cream and Pomegranate Molasses

• Servings: 20 paired meringues, or 40 single
• Time: 1hr 45mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Meringues

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup aquafaba (the drained liquid from a can of chickpeas)
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 90°C (fan-forced) and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place the aquafaba in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until foamy.
3. Add the cream of tartar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
4. Gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and keep whipping until all of the sugar has dissolved. It’s ready when the mixture no longer feels grainy between your fingers.
5. Add the vanilla extract and whip until incorporated.
6. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star or round tip with the mixture, and pipe 4-5cm stars/rounds onto the trays. I get around 40 cookies out of a the above quantity.
7. Bake for 11/2 hours, rotating trays half way through.
8. Allow to cool on the trays in the oven with the door propped slightly open with a wooden spoon until completely cool or even overnight.

*The meringues will keep for a couple of weeks if kept in a well-sealed container and undressed. Moisture is the enemy here.

Orange Blossom Whipped Coconut Cream

Ingredients:

• Solid cream from a 400g chilled can of coconut cream (see notes above)
• 3 teaspoons of light agave syrup or sweetener of choice
• 4 teaspoons of orange blossom water or to taste

Directions:

1. Chill the beaters of a handheld or stand mixer in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
2. Open the can of coconut cream (do not shake the mixture) and scoop out only the solid portion into the mixer bowl.
3. Beat on high until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
4. Add agave syrup and orange blossom water to taste, and beat for a couple of minutes to incorporate.
5. Refrigerate until ready to use.

*The coconut cream will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Just re-whip as needed.

Assemble

Ingredients:

• Meringues
• Orange Blossom Coconut Cream
• Pomegranate Molasses
• Pomegranate Seeds

1. Fill a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle with the whipped coconut cream.
2. Pair the meringues into similar sizes and pipe a small amount of the coconut cream onto one of the meringue cookies, and sandwich with another meringue.
3. Place onto serving plates and drizzle with the pomegranate molasses. Add a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.
4. Serve immediately – meringues wait for no-one.