Description
These Vegan Meringue Kisses use aquafaba—the liquid from cooked chickpeas—as a perfect egg white substitute, creating light, airy, and naturally vegan meringues with a beautiful pink hue from beetroot powder. Crisp on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth inside, they are an impressive and allergy-friendly treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup aquafaba (liquid from cooked chickpeas, reduced as per instructions)
- 1 ¼ cups caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch), sifted, plus extra for dusting
- 2 teaspoons beetroot powder (sifted, or freeze-dried raspberry/strawberry powder as alternative)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Reduction of Aquafaba: Pour the aquafaba into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the volume reduces by half, approximately 5-10 minutes. Measure carefully to ensure it reduces to about ½ cup. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Tray: Preheat your oven to 100°C (212°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lightly dust with sifted cornstarch to prevent sticking and help release the meringues easily once baked.
- Whip Aquafaba: In a large, clean, grease-free bowl, combine the chilled reduced aquafaba and cream of tartar. Whisk on high speed for about 10 minutes until soft peaks form.
- Add Sugar: Gradually add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, whisking for about 30 seconds between each addition to fully incorporate. After adding all sugar, continue whisking for 10 more minutes until the mixture is thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks. If using, whisk in vanilla extract for 1 minute.
- Divide and Color: Split the meringue mixture evenly into two bowls. To one bowl, gently fold in the beetroot powder until combined. Then add half the sifted cornstarch to each bowl and fold carefully until just incorporated, taking care not to deflate the meringue.
- Pipe Meringue Kisses: Fit a piping bag with a star nozzle. Alternate spoonfuls of plain and beetroot meringue into the piping bag to create a marbled effect. Pipe small kisses about 2–2.5cm in diameter onto the prepared baking tray, spacing them about 1 cm apart.
- Bake: Bake the meringue kisses in the preheated oven at 100°C (212°F) for 1 hour. After baking, leave the oven door slightly ajar and keep the meringues inside for an additional 15 minutes to dry out gently.
- Cool: Remove the tray from the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely on the tray for 30 to 60 minutes before attempting to remove them.
- Storage: Store cooled meringue kisses in an airtight container at room temperature. They remain fresh for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Reducing aquafaba concentrates the proteins and gives better volume and stability.
- Make sure bowls and whisks are completely clean and dry to help the meringue form properly.
- Beetroot powder not only provides color but adds a subtle earthy sweetness; raspberry or strawberry powder are great alternatives for fruity twists.
- Do not over-fold the cornstarch into the meringue to avoid deflating it.
- Piping the two meringue colors together creates an attractive pattern; practice on parchment paper if new to piping.
- Store in a dry place away from humidity for best crisp texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (excluding aquafaba reduction and chilling time)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (1 hour baking + 15 minutes oven drying)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Contemporary
