Honestly, I can’t tell you how many batches of these vegan meringue nests that I’ve made over these past couple of weeks. I’ve been trying to perfect an egg free meringue recipe for quite a while now and have definitely encountered my fair share of failed attempts! Soggy bottoms, meringues that crumble at the touch and on one occasion, just a gooey pile of sugary mess bubbling in the centre of the baking tray!
I’ve tried and tested this recipe countless times now and can guarantee perfect vegan meringues with ease, every time!
So, to make vegan meringue nests we’re going to be using aquafaba in place of egg whites. Aquafaba is simply the water that you would typically drain from a can of chickpeas. I know, it doesn’t sound like the most appetising thing in the world, or that there’s any possibility of it even resembling a meringue for that matter. Once you’re familiar with using aquafaba, there are countless different sweet delights that you can create with a vegan twist! Think lemon meringue pies, Swiss meringue buttercream, Black Forest pavlova… I could go on!
What you will need to make vegan meringue nests
Your shopping list for these is wonderfully simple and probably items that you already have in your kitchen cupboards.
- Water from 1 can of chickpeas
- 1 cup icing sugar- or sugar free alternative
- 1/2 tsp cream of tatar
- Pinch of salt
- You could also add in a dash of cinnamon of vanilla powder if you desire
Can I make these sugar free?
If you want to make the meringues refined sugar free, then you can use a sugar free icing sugar alternative. Unfortunately coconut sugar won’t work for this exact recipe, as the sugar is not fine enough and won’t dissolve.
Failsafe tips for perfect vegan meringue nests
- Don’t open the oven! This is very important and can be detrimental to your meringue making success! It’s important that you don’t open the oven during the cooking process and for an hour after whilst they are cooling. Ideally, allow your meringues to cool down completely.
- Be patient with your whisking. Aquafaba does take a little longer in comparison to whipping egg whites. Be patient, make sure both your mixing bowl and implements are completely clean and dry before using and you should achieve glorious glossy peaks with ease!
- Add your sugar gradually. When mixing in the sugar and cream of Tatar, add in the sugar a little at a time whilst whisking.
Vegan Meringue Nests
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpea water
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp cream of tatar
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 110c and line a tray with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, beat your aqaufaba with an electric whisk until doubled in size and appears light and fluffy. This should take around 5 minutes.
- Add in the salt, cream of tatar and gradually pour in the sugar whilst continuing to whisk. Whisk on high for a futher 5-7 minutes until stiff, glosy peaks have formed.
- Carefully trasnfer your meringue into a piping bag and pipe into meringe nest shapes onto your sheet. you can use any leftovers to create little meringue kisses.
- Gently place these intothe oven to bake for 2 hours. Allow the meringues to cool in the oven for a further 1-2 hours without opening the door.
- Serve with vegan whipped cream and red berries!
