These Aquafaba Meringue Nests are made with coconut whipped cream, melted chocolate and fresh berries for a delicious vegan treat.
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Friends, I did it! I ventured into the wonderful world of aquafaba.
And it was aquafabulous! In the almost 11 years that I've been vegan, I have never seen anything like this. Aquafaba is the PERFECT egg white replacer WITH the added bonus of being cruelty-free AND giving you something fantastic to do with all that chickpea water. More compassion, less waste.
Aquafaba, I love you.
What is aquafaba?
In 2015, after the vegan community had tried everything to re-create the elusive egg white meringue, it was discovered that the liquid in canned beans, specifically chickpeas, when whipped like egg whites, turned into a perfect, airy, sweet, and crispy meringue. This discovery was shared on one of the best vegan Facebook groups, What FAT Vegans Eat, the vegan community went wild, and the rest is history.
How do I make aquafaba meringue?
Easy!
- Drain the chickpea liquid into a stand-up mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Add a pinch of cream of tartar to stabilizes the meringue.
- Whip on high for 5-7 minutes, slowly adding granulated sugar, to the desired peak
What can I make with aquafaba?
I'm glad you asked! Check out some of these amazing recipes from around the web.
But before you leave, let us talk about these Aquafaba Meringue Nests with Coconut Whipped Cream and Fresh Berries.
These Aquafaba Meringue Nests are inspired by a recipe I made many times during one of my bakery jobs: the Baccone Dolce. A Baccone Dolce, or sweet mouthful as it's translated, is a cake made of with layers of meringue and whipped cream and topped with chocolate and fresh berries. At the time that I was making this for the bakery, I never could imagine a truly impressive vegan version.
Well, I was wrong.
Sweet, refreshing, crispy, airy, chocolatey, fruity...these Aquafaba Meringue Nests are the real deal. So, if you're new to the aquafaba world, or just getting warmed up, I invite you to start with this exciting, delicious, and perfectly seasonal recipe.
How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream
In addition to making the perfect aquafaba meringue nests, we also need to make coconut whipped cream.
To make coconut whipped cream, whip up coconut solids with a handheld mixer. Some coconut milk comes separated, but to ensure that the solids and liquids are separated, place your coconut milk in the refrigerator for 24 hours. When you open the can of coconut milk, the fatty solids will be on top. Gently scoop it into a large mixing bowl and add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip until the coconut cream is similar in texture to whipped cream.
Note: to make coconut whipped cream, you have to use full-fat coconut milk.
Serving and Storing Meringue Nests
If you are going to have leftovers, the components of this recipe should be stored separately.
- Store the aquafaba meringues in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate - this will cause the sugar to melt.
- Store the coconut whipped cream in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- When ready to serve, simply assemble the meringue nests and top with fresh berries and melted chocolate.
- Serve as part of your Easter or Mother's Day brunch.
I think that's all you need to know about make the perfect vegan meringues. Let's take a look at the recipe below.
Aquafaba Meringue Nests
Ingredients
Vegan Meringues
- liquid from 1 can of chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sugar
Coconut whipped cream
- 1 can full fat coconut, solids only
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings
- chocolate, melted
- fresh berries
Instructions
- Place the bean liquid in a stand-up mixer with the whisk attachment. Add cream of tartar and vanilla extract. Whip on high for 5-6 minutes until the aquafaba has formed medium-stiff peaks. During that time, slowly add sugar, about ¼ cup at a time.
- Pipe the meringue nests about 2 inches in diameter on a parchment-lined baking sheet. With a spoon, create a well in the middle. Bake at 200F for 2 hours, until firm.
- To make coconut whipped cream, whip up coconut solids with a handheld mixer. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whipped until the coconut cream is similar in texture to whipped cream.
- Once meringues have baked, top with about 1 tablespoon of coconut whipped cream each and 3-4 berries. Drizzle melted chocolate.
- Serve immediately.
Sally says
Hi Sarah ,
just wanted you to know that I’ve just tried making your aquafaba meringues , for the first time ever.
The meringue mix looked and tasted just like egg white meringue...smooth and glossy.
I use 1 tsp of lemon juice instead of cream of tartare.
I then placed them in my oven ....”200 for 2 hours”.
Within minutes house was filled with smoke.
I hadn’t made the aquafaba meringue before.....but I did query temperature in my head ?!
Anyway ruined.....did you mean 120 c or 20c ? I do want to make this again.
Sarah says
I'm sorry, I meant 200F, which I believe is about 90c.
Teri says
Perhaps someday there will be Angelfood Cake! I really miss it.
Sarah says
Yes! I love that idea. I LOVED angle food cake when I was a kid. I will definitely put that on my calendar of recipes to try.
Laurel says
I loved loved Baccone Dolce and I couldn't imagine ever being able to eat a good vegan version either! I CANNOT wait to make this recipe. They look AMAZING!
Sarah says
Thanks, Laurel. I've been "veganizing" things for almost 11 years and is one of my favorite of all time because it tastes JUST like the real thing and is made with real ingredients. I hope you love it too!