Marvellous vegan meringues

Don't throw the liquid from your can of chickpeas. Use it to make egg-free meringues.

Simply by adding a little cream of tartar the liquid from a can of chickpeas can be whipped up just like egg whites. It's a special vegan miracle!

INGREDIENTS

6 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chickpeas)

½ tsp cream of tartar

¾ cups of caster sugar

½ tsp organic vanilla paste (or pure vanilla extract)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 250°F or 120°C

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Lightly spray with coconut oil or wipe with a little non dairy butter.

Use a cake mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat the aquafaba and cream of tartar. Aquafaba is simply the liquid drained from a can of chickpeas. This liquid whips best when at room temperature.

Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture begins to foam and turn white. While continuing to beat, sprinkle in the sugar 1 tbsp at a time.

Turn up the beater to high and continue beating until mixture is thick, white and glossy. Add the vanilla.

When the mixture can form stiff peaks, use a rubber spatula to gently transfer it into a piping bag.

Pipe onto tray in even swirls.

Bake in the middle tray of the oven for 40-45 minutes. Once dry and firm to the touch, turn off oven. Leave the meringues in the oven with the door closed for at least 2 hours – preferably overnight.

If the meringues are still a little sticky in the morning put the oven on again. Bring the temperature just up to 250°F or 120°C, switch off oven and leave for at least another hour.

Remove from oven and store in an airtight container.