This recipe for Vegan Pavlova or Aquafaba Meringue is so utterly cool you won’t believe it until you see it. I didn’t think it was possible!
Did you ever think you could make a meringue with NO EGGS? Yes, you absolutely can! And you’ll never guess what it’s made of, and no I’m not telling you yet. You’ll just have to keep reading to find out what it is!
Aquafaba Meringue
So what is this Aquafaba Meringue? Aquafaba is the water from canned beans. I’ll wait until you process that.
Ready? Sure about that?
You can make a perfectly lovely bean water VEGAN meringue that tastes nothing like garbanzo beans. Yes, the stuff you drain out of a can of beans. Sounds disgusting right? I know it does but bear with me because this is stuff is magic.
Great British Baking Show Bake-Along Inspired
I would never in a million years have tried to make something like this on my own. EVER. I mean I like meringue, but bean water meringue was a HARD PASS. Then Vegan Week hit on the GBBO, and I felt like it was a maybe, maybe I should try it.
Neither of the other bakes felt inspiring to me. I can make mini pies anytime, or cake anytime! So it had to Aquafaba Meringue, right? And when I thought about it long enough, I realized this might be something I could use.
In a pinch, I could make someone a vegan dessert, and that IS a skill that is useful. And it’s beautiful to boot!
I based this off of Prue’s Vegan Tropical Pavlova. Please read over her recipe and see where the differences are. For instance, she calls for coating each meringue with melted vegan white chocolate, and that
So I skipped it BUT you should totally line these pavlova shells with something like it because they melt quickly when you add curd.
I DID make her coconut pastry cream and it is divine, I
About your Vegan Meringue:
- most recipes call for low-salt canned garbanzos, my store didn’t have them, and I made this twice with regular salt beans, and it was fine
- you will need two cans of beans, but not ALL the juice, just some of it
- please note you do not need a FULL cup of aquafaba, more like 1 cup with a TBSP removed OR 200ml
- this recipe makes enough for TWO 8 inch meringues; you can stack them, filled, on top of each other OR serve them separately as well
- parchment paper is helpful for piping these big circles on
- Use a pastry bag fitted with a large tip; you could also use a spoon and make an 8-inch circle with it
- use any pastry cream to top, whipped topping or pudding to fill under the fruit
- your shell may crack as it dries, but it should hold together, even if it does break, stack it up, slather it in cream and fruit and enjoy it!
- do NOT assemble until you’re ready to eat this dessert
Vegan Pavlova
This recipe for Vegan Pavlova or Aquafaba Meringue is so utterly cool you won't believe it until you see it. Meringue without eggs?? YES, YOU CAN!
Please note you do not need a FULL cup of aquafaba, more like 1 cup with a TBSP removed OR 200ml
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegan pudding or pastry cream, I linked to Prue's Coconut Cream above
- 4 cups chopped fruit
- 1 tsp cream of tarter
- 1 cup aquafaba, minus 1 TBSP, water from cooked beans
- 1 1/3 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla, OR seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/3 cup vegan white chocolate chips
Instructions
- preheat oven to 250˚, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, draw an 8-inch circle on each, flip over so the pencil mark is on the bottom, and set aside
- put the cream of tarter in the bowl of a stand mixer
- pour the aquafaba over it, run the stand mixer on medium until the mixture gets foamy
- turn the mixer on high and let run until the mixture holds soft peaks 8-10 minutes
- with the mixer add the sugar Tablespoon by Tablespoon until it's gone and the meringue is glossy
- add the vanilla and beat for 30 seconds
- sprinkle the corn starch over the meringue and whip another 30 seconds
- fill a large piping bag fitted with a large tip with half the meringue, using the circle on the parchment as a guide make a decorative circle, fill it in and fill any gaps, you can make a secondary ring around initial ring to build up the outer edge
- repeat with the remaining meringue
- bake for 75 minutes in the pre-heated oven, leave the door shut and do not open the oven
- after 75 minutes, turn off the oven, open the door to let out the heat and let the meringues cool
- once cooled you can peel off the paper and place on a cooling rack to the let the bottom dry as well
- pavalovas are best served fresh, so assemble directly before serving
- to assemble the pavlova: melt the white chocolate chips and brush the chocolate on each meringue shell, let it cool
- place the larger of the two meringue shells down(they expand while baking don't worry you weren't supposed to make them different sizes), place half the pastry cream or pudding on the shell, top with half the chopped fruit, repeat the layers and serve!
- alternatively you can make two single layer pavlovas if you prefer
Notes
This is an updated recipe to include the amount of chocoale you need to line your shells with
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
8 servingsAmount Per Serving Calories 328Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 20mgSodium 261mgCarbohydrates 72gFiber 3gSugar 58gProtein 4g
This nutrition information was calculated using a computer program, results may vary.
I LOVE this challenge and I think I have 2 cans of garbanzos too. I’ve been wanting to try making something with aquafaba.