Vegan Peppermint Meringues

I’ve done it!!

I’ve found the recipe for absolutely perfect vegan meringues! And just in time for the holiday. It may have required a countless amount of sad deflated puff-balls, a bunch of different sugar measurements, one million temperature adjustments, and far too much cream of tartar, but I finally got it!

The only tough thing about making these meringues is finding the patience to allow them to bake for three hours! But, oh, are they worth the wait! They’re so incredibly light and airy I could eat 1,000. Plus, there’s nothing like the taste of peppermint around Christmas, am I right?

 

Here’s the recipe!

Ingredients:

• Chickpea brine (the liquid) from a 14 oz can of chickpeas
• 1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 tsp distilled vinegar (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• Icing bag (or simply a plastic bag with a hole cut at the tip)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 210 °F and line two/three baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Drain the liquid from the can of chickpeas into a bowl. I used the remaining chickpeas to make hummus!
3. Using an electric or stand mixer, whisk the liquid on a high (very high) speed until it forms soft peaks. This may take a while but keep the faith! When I put my mixer on too low of a speed, this process can take over 30 minutes. You can add the vinegar to speed the whipping up a bit (don’t worry, you won’t taste it). After the liquid becomes foamy, add the cream of tartar.
4. Once the peaks form, begin adding the icing sugar very slowly. Keep whisking until it glossy, stiff peaks form and can stand upright on the whisk or a spatula.
5. Finally, mix in the vanilla and peppermint.
6. Open the icing or plastic bag and use a thin paintbrush to create red streaks on the inside of the bag. These don’t have to be perfect; the meringues will look pretty no matter what!
7. Transfer the mixture to the bag and pipe the meringues onto the baking sheets by squeezing the mixture out very close to the sheet and then pulling up to form peaks.
8. Place the trays in the oven and bake for two hours. Make sure the oven isn’t too hot.
9. Turn the oven off and let them cool in the oven for another hour; try not to open the door and check on them!
10. Store the meringues in an airtight container so that they don’t soften.

May your Christmas be white and bright! 

Elizabeth