As a vegan, I'm quite happy with commercially available substitutes to replace products of animal origin.
Lactose-free ice creams and cheeses are fairly easy to find, so you can easily do without milk.
But replace eggs is significantly more problematic — especially when it comes to making vegan desserts.
I have tried several egg alternatives, with mixed results to say the least. Eggs can be replaced with ground flax seeds or chia seeds.
But the helping hand to succeed in these desserts with this type of product is very difficult to master !
And these alternatives struggle to reproduce the delicious creaminess which characterizes meringues with egg whites.
We can even say that a real alternative to beaten egg whites is the holy grail for vegans.
Not anymore ! Why ? Because I have now discovered the secret ingredient:"chickpea white".
Or in other words, the liquid in which jarred or canned chickpeas bathe.
Yes, yes, I promise you. We are talking about this viscous juice that we are all used to pouring into the sink. In fact, it's a magic ingredient !
Whipped in snow, the chickpea white looks so ha-llu-ci-nante to that of egg white. It's simply stunning!
It's a French chef, Joël Roessel , who discovered and shared this surprising use of chickpea white on his website, Révolution Végétale.
Chickpea white is also called "aquafaba or “bean liquid” in Latin.
Thanks to this discovery, you will once again be able to prepare delicious pastries, while respecting your vegan diet.
There is also a Facebook group (in English) with more than 45,000 members that explains how to prepare delicious cakes, various pastries and even succulent pasta — all with chickpea whites!
But the most surprising use of this viscous juice is by far the preparation of meringues ! Watch:
For about 20 meringues:
• 90 ml chickpea whites
• 180 g blond cane sugar
• 10 drops of vanilla oleoresin (optional)
1. Pour the egg white into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk.
2. Turn on the device to start whipping the egg whites, as if they were real egg whites.
3. Gradually sprinkle the mixture with blond cane sugar.
4. Add vanilla drops, if desired.
5. Continue whisking for a few minutes, until the white is firm and the sugar is well dissolved.
6. Using a fluted pastry bag, pipe your meringues on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
7. Bake your meringues for 1h15 at 100°C.
8. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before eating.
There you go, now you have a perfect solution for making meringues WITHOUT using eggs! :-)
If you're vegan, you finally know a perfect egg alternative to prepare your pastries.
And for others who want to avoid waste, you now know that you should NEVER throw away the juice from your chickpeas! It is the perfect ingredient to prepare delicious meringues.
Note: the meringues will keep for up to 3 days, in an airtight container.
