Today I discovered how to make 100 delicious vegan meringues for just 50p and I was astounded how simple it was.

I was draining a 400g can of organic chickpeas (in water, no added salt or sugar) to use in my lunchtime salad when I remembered reading on the internet about people who were making eggless vegan meringues from the discarded water. How could this be? It didn’t sound possible and what about the taste?

I take most things I hear or read with a pinch of salt and like to make my own mind up so I quickly read about “Aquafaba” (the latin word for water and bean) and decided a kitchen experiment was needed, just for the hell-of-it!

It was a complete success and was amazed how well these meringues came out at a fraction of the cost of eggs. I know this isn’t a wartime recipe but eggs were so scarce during the war I bet if this knowledge had been about in the 40’s there would have been recipes for “eggless meringues” in the Ministry of Food’s recipe pamphlets!

PS: They are about 5 cals per meringue which is pretty good!

Recipe for 100 Vegan Meringues

Ingredients
The drained liquid from 1 400g can of chickpeas in water (no sugar or salt added)
150g of caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
several drops of vanilla extract, I used lemon (optional)

Method
– Heat oven up to 100C and line two large baking trays with parchment/baking paper.
– First drain the liquid from the chickpeas into a clean, dry mixing bowl.
– Using a electric mixer on high start mixing the liquid (it will take 5 or 6 minutes) until the mixture forms stiff peaks and the mixture in the bowl does not slide around.
– Add in the cream of tartar (if used) and then the caster sugar a couple of spoons at a time in mix in with mixer.
– Add in flavouring.
– Use a piping bag or a large ziplock bag and spoon the mixture in and cut a hole in the end.
– Pipe small swirls on the baking trays lined with baking paper.
– Place in pre-heated oven for at least 1 hr – 1 hr 15 mins (for small meringues and longer for larger ones)
– Switch off oven and open door slightly and leave meringues in the oven for another hour to dry out.
– Once cooled remove from baking paper.

Makes 100. Cost about 50p in ingredients if you count the liquid for free!