Kim's Vegan Meringues
Ingredients
150 mls liquid drained from tin of chickpeas - aquafaba
200g caster sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tin full fat coconut milk
2 tbsp icing sugar - optional
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 110 degrees or gas mark 1/4 and line two baking trays with non stick baking paper.
Pour the aquafaba into a large bowl and using either a handheld electric whisk or stand mixer beat it on a medium setting for about 6 or 7 minutes. At this point it should be getting thicker and forming soft peaks when you lift your whisk out of the bowl.
With the mixer still running you should now whisk in your sugar one spoonful at a time until the mixture is near enough doubled in size, thick, smooth, glossy and holds its shape when you lift the whisk out. You can now fold in the sieved cream of tartar and vanilla extract. By this stage it should look exactly like a regular, egg white meringue.
Spoon the mixture into approximately 12 evenly sized and spaced rounds to form your meringues - you can make double that quantity if you go for mini meringues. Make sure they aren't touching as they will spread a little while baking.
Place them in the oven for 90 minutes - without opening the door - and when the time is up turn the oven off and leave them in there to cool completely - still with the door shut.
Meantime open a tin of full fat coconut milk - it has to be full fat - and carefully take the top layer of thick cream off the top, leaving any of the liquid behind. Gently whisk this for a couple of minutes and you will have a fine, silky coconut cream. You can also beat in the sieved icing sugar a little at a time to make your cream thicker and sweeter, but I think with meringues just the coconut cream is sweet enough,
When your meringues are ready serve them with the coconut cream and possibly some mixed berries.
