Mini Banoffee Meringues
If you're new to veganism you might not be aware of aquafaba - the water from chickpea cans. Yup, the stuff you've been throwing down the sink all these years is in fact a magic fluid that can be whisked in to the fluffiest, most perfect meringues you've ever seen! If you've got a stand mixer, give this recipe a whirl. It really is a sight to behold, and an utterly delicious vegan dessert to share with non-vegans or a great choice if you are a banoffee lover....who are we kidding, everyone is a banoffee lover!
Serves
Ingredients
For the meringues
<item-todo-done>140ml aquafaba - the drained water from 1x400g tin chickpeas<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp cream of tartar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g caster sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 bananas<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>25g dark chocolate<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>150g caster sugar<item-todo-done>
For the caramel sauce
<item-todo-done>120ml full-fat coconut milk<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Pinch of salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp plant-based butter<item-todo-done>
For the cashew cream
<item-todo-done>2 tbsp icing sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp vanilla extract<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>150g cashews<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>600ml full-fat coconut milk<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp icing sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp vanilla extract<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ banana<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Preheat oven to 165°C, fan setting | Stand mixer | Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper | Frying pan | Small saucepan | Liquidiser
Pour the aquafaba into the mixer
- Turn the mixer on to high and leave it running
- Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat
- After 2 minutes add the caster sugar, one spoonful at a time
- Beat on high for 10–15 minutes
- It’s ready when the aquafaba has magically transformed into a thick, meringue-like mixture that won’t fall off a spoon turned upside down
Bake the meringues
- Spoon the meringue mixture on to the lined baking sheets to make nests about 8cm wide, no more than 1.5cm high and smooth on top, leaving 2cm between them
- You should end up with about 18 nests (you can draw 8cm circles on the parchment paper, then flip over the paper and use them as templates)
- Put the trays in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 100°C
- Bake for 2 hours, then turn off the heat, leave the door closed and let the meringues cool completely, preferably overnight
- Cooling the meringues overnight in the oven allows them to set properly and reduces the chances of them cracking due to sudden changes in temperature
Make the caramel sauce
- Put the frying pan on a medium heat
- Pour in the sugar, 75ml of the coconut milk and the salt
- Bring to the boil, whisking continuously
- Once the mixture has turned caramel in colour, about 10–15 minutes, remove from the heat
- Add the rest of the coconut milk and the plant-based butter, stir through and transfer to a heatproof bowl
To make the cashew cream
- Put the small saucepan over a medium heat
- Add the nuts and 400ml of the coconut milk
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until most of the coconut milk has evaporated
- Transfer to the liquidiser
- Add the icing sugar, vanilla and remaining 200ml coconut milk
- Add the banana half to the liquidiser
- Blend until really smooth
Assemble and serve
- Peel 2–3 bananas and cut them into long diagonal slices (the longer they are the more beautiful they will look)
- Lay half the slices on top of the meringues
- Cover the bananas with dollops of coconut cream
- Top with 1 or 2 more banana slices and lashings of caramel sauce
- Finely grate over the chocolate and serve