Following on from the delicious success I had with using 'Aquafaba' for my Peach Melba Eton Mess, I decided to have another play with this miraculous water.
This time I again made meringues but decided to sandwich them with a lemon buttercream encasing a beautiful raspberry. Mmmm. They were so yummy! The lemon flavour from the curd came through beautifully in the buttercream and the hidden raspberry was a nice surprise for the unaware.
Aquafaba is the name which has been given to the water found in tinned legumes. This water is miraculous. Some very clever soul whipped it up one day and found that it can be used for meringues, cakes, macarons, and even pasta - without the need for egg whites! Read here for some more fabulous ideas as to how to use Aquafaba Clearly a great alternative to the use of egg whites, especially for the vegan world, though do remember to purchase the tinned legumes where the water is unsalted!
So let's get to it and bake!
Raspberry & Lemon Meringues, with Aquafaba Yum
Yield: about 12 meringue 'sandwiches'
Difficulty: Easy
Freezable: No
Time: hands on time 20 minutes; plus 90 minutes bake time and 90 minutes cooling time.
You will need:
1 x Large Baking Tray
Greaseproof Paper
Stand Mixer or Hand Held Electric Mixer
Piping bag, (optional)
For the Aquafaba Meringue
Unsalted Water from 1 x 215g (net weight) tin of beans (I used Butter Beans)
60g Icing Sugar, sieved
For The Raspberry & Lemon Filling
12 Fresh Raspberries, plus extra for serving
170g Butter, softened
210g Icing Sugar, sieved
4 - 5 teaspoon Lemon Curd (either shop bought or homemade lemon curd)
Freeze Dried Raspberries
How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 110c / Fan 90c
2. Cut a sheet of greaseproof paper to the size of your tray. Use a pencil to draw around a small cup / glass to act as a guide for the size of your meringues. Use the greaseproof paper to line your baking tray, keeping the pencil markings on the underside. Tack the corners down with a little margarine.
3. Make the meringue. Drain the water from the tinned beans into a bowl and beat until firm. Slowly add the icing sugar, beating well after each addition. You should end up with a thick glossy mixture. It will take a little longer than a traditional egg white meringue. Add a little more icing sugar if you feel it's not thick enough. Either use a teaspoon or piping bag to drop / pipe 'blobs' of the meringue mixture onto the baking tray (I used a teaspoon). Place in the oven for 90 minutes. After the baking period has ended, turn the oven off, DO NOT open the oven door, allowing the meringues to cool slowly in the oven. Remove the meringues after at least 90 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make the buttercream. Place the butter into a good sized bowl and beat, either with a wooden spoon or electric hand held beater, until soft and creamy. Add the sieved icing sugar and mix slowly with a wooden spoon to incorporate and reducing that cloud of icing sugar. Once the icing sugar is incorporated, beat well. Taste, adding more icing sugar if you want. Add the lemon curd and ripple this through the butter cream mixture.
5. Assemble the meringues 10 minutes before you are ready to serve. Pair the meringues into those of equal size. Hold the meringue gently in the palm of your hand with the flat surface upper most. Using a pallet knife (or piping bag if you prefer), carefully spread butter cream on the surface, keeping the vast majority of it to the edges creating a hollow for the raspberry to sit. Place the raspberry in the hollow. Add some more buttercream to the flattened surface of the meringue's pair. Sandwich the two halves together.
6. Using a pallet knife or similar, smooth the exposed butter cream edges to neaten.
7. To finish the meringue sandwiches, scatter the freeze dried raspberry pieces over the butter cream, then gently firm them in with your finger.
8. Once assembled share your creation, serving with extra raspberries if you like.
Enjoy!
Honest mum
So, so pretty. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Vicki.
Angela x
Cuddle Fairy
These look absolutely gorgeous! I've never heard of aquafaba before - thank you for explaining what it is! lol Thanks so much for linking up with #foodpornthursdays x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you so much 🙂 Yeah, it's a odd one to use tinned bean water for meringues - who would have thought that that water could be put to good use!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Louise Fairweather
These look fantastic - I haven't made meringues in ages - must have a go again soon
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you so much Louise 🙂 Meringues are just great aren't they, they are one of my (many) weaknesses as far as desserts are concerned!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Mother Mands
I've seen people making macaroons out of this, that is you're next challenge 😀 I wonder how well it would work for like a lemon meringue? Hmm...
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Ooh! You've set the bar high there with macaroons Mands! I've only made those once and they were Ok, not brilliant! I think it'd work a treat for a lemon meringue - there's barely any taste difference between a regular egg white based meringue and this fabulous aquafaba stuff!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
House in Tillford
These are so pretty! And ive never heard of aquafaba before so learnt something new!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you 🙂 I only came across it a month or two ago. I believe it was only 'discovered' earlier this year. It's amazing the sorts of things you can learn through popping into a few blogs etc
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Emmas Mamma
Wow I've ever heard of aquafaba but what a great egg substitute! Those meringues look amazing! Yum! #foodpornthursdays
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
It's great stuff isn't it! And although the idea came from the vegan community, I'd imagine it's going to be very useful for certain people in the community like babies, the elderly and those convalescing when they can't enjoy a home made mousse and the likes.
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
MamaMummyMum
These look amazing, very delicate indeed, almost a shame to eat them!! #foodpornthursdays
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Ha-ha-ha, yes certainly was almost a shame to eat them - almost! 😉
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
International Elf Service
What a really lovely idea! They look absolutely amazing too - perfect for the special occasions that we all end making meringues for in the first place!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
🙂 Thank you so much x
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela
Debra Clark
These look absolutely delicious and your pictures are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing with us at #TryaBiteTuesday - hope to see you next week!!!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
🙂 thank you so much Debra, they were really scrummy! It's amazing how useful photo editing suites are!
Thanks for hosting Debra,
Angela x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Oh wow I did not know that the water from beans could do this! I will not be throwing it away any more! These look so delicious x #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
You'll have to give it a try next time you open a tin of beans Kirsty! I believe different bean waters have different levels of success; The go-to bean water seems to be from chick peas but I used butter bean water successfully (I don't care for chick peas). Have a read of those links when you have chance as there are some great recipes using aquafaba there.
Thanks for popping by and commenting Kirsty,
Angela x
Lucy Allen
They look great, you'd never know they were the vegan meringues!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
It's crazy isn't it, how bean water can whip up and make something so delicious! And of course it's not just vegans who benefit - you can use it instead of raw eggs to make a mousse for those who should avoid raw eggs! It's amazing stuff.
Thanks for popping by Lucy,
Angela x
Beckie
Wow, definitely going to try this - they look amazing. Thanks for linking to #Cookblogshare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thanks Beckie! Oh, do let me know how you get on with them if you try using aquafaba - it does take a little longer to whip up than using the usual egg whites but it's amazing how similar they are once they're made!
Your welcome and thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Sarah aka CocoandLentil
These look divine - love the idea of hiding a raspberry inside along with the freeze dried raspberry sprinkles! Have never used Aquafaba so will have to check it out.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
🙂 Thank you Sarah. The fresh raspberry in the middle was really lovely - it gave a little sharpness to breakup the sweetness of the meringues and buttercream. Oh, yes do check out aquafaba - it's amazing how bean water thickens when it's being whisked! It does take a little longer than using egg whites but it's amazing; whether your baking for a vegan, have no really fresh eggs in or just fancy playing with it - it's great!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x