Aquafaba summer fruit meringues recipe

Ingredients

• liquid from 1 x 400-g/14-oz. can chickpeas
• ½ cup (100 g) caster/superfine sugar
• 4–6 scoops of dairy-free or plant-based ice cream, to serve
• 14 oz (400 g) mixed summer berries
• mint leaves, to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 110˚C (225˚F) Gas ¼. Pour the chickpea water into a large bowl and whisk until the mixture forms stiff peaks – as you would do if you were making an egg meringue. If you have whisked the mixture to the correct stage, you should be able to turn the bowl upside down and the mixture won’t move. Add the caster/superfine sugar, about a quarter at a time, and whisk until stiff each time. Unlike egg whites, the chickpea water will not over-whip and collapse.
2. When the sugar is fully incorporated and the mixture very stiff, spoon it into 4–6 heaped circles on a large, flat sheet pan lined with baking parchment. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for about 1½ hours so that the meringues are crisp and firm. Don’t be tempted to increase the oven temperature – the meringues need a low heat in order to dry out.
3. Remove the meringues from the oven and leave to cool. Top each with a scoop of dairy-free or plant-based ice-cream and scatter over an assortment of summer berries. Decorate with mint leaves and serve.