Having chickpeas for dinner? Don’t pour the liquid down the sink because it’s perfect for making vegan meringues! 

The water in your chickpea can is called aquafaba. When whipped, it foams and expands into a pillowy mass that looks and tastes just like meringue. Waste not, want not! 

So use it instead of egg whites in these three vegan desserts: A creamy, refreshing vanilla ice cream, the airiest espresso-infused tiramisu, and for chocolate fans, a no-bake meringue-topped dark chocolate tart.

Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

180ml aquafaba (if it’s chilled for minimum four hours or even overnight, it whips better)

½ tsp lemon juice

1 ½ tbsp vanilla extract

200g icing sugar

200ml almond milk

50ml vegetable oil

Step 1: Whisk the aquafaba and lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer, or with an electric whisk, for 6 minutes until it expands and forms stiff peaks (like meringue). 

Tip: It’s done when you can turn the bowl upside down without the mixture sliding out.

Step 2: Add the vanilla, and beat for another minute. 

Step 3: With a heaped tablespoon at a time, add the icing sugar to the aquafaba. Beat for a further 3 minutes.

Step 4: In a blender, whizz together the almond milk and vegetable oil until creamy (about 30 seconds).  

Step 5: Using a spatula, fold this through the aquafaba until combined (try not to deflate the foam too much!).  Pour into a container and freeze for at least 4 hours.

 

Vegan Tiramisu

Cake

125ml almond milk

½ tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp neutral oil (e.g. vegetable, sunflower, canola)

1 tsp vanilla extract

110g self raising flour

100g caster sugar

Pinch of salt

 

Espresso Drizzle

2tbsp fresh espresso

1tbsp caster sugar

1tbsp madeira, brandy or dark rum (optional)

 

Aquafaba Mousse

60ml aquafaba  (if it’s chilled for minimum four hours or even overnight, it whips better)

¼ tsp lemon juice

½ tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp icing sugar

You’ll also need

Cocoa powder to decorate

Glasses to serve

 

First, let’s bake the cake: 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180ºC/160ºC fan. 

Step 2: Grease and line a 20-inch square tin. Mix the wet ingredients (for the cake only) in a jug, and the dry ingredients in a bowl.

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.  

Step 4: Pour into the lined tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until you poke it with a skewer and it comes out clean.

Step 5: Remove from the tin and allow it to cool.

 

Now let’s make the mousse: 

Step 1: While the cake cools, pour the aquafaba and lemon juice into a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. 

Step 2: With an electric whisk, beat the aquafaba and lemon juice for 6 minutes until stiff peaks form stiff peaks form. 

Tip: Turn the bowl upside down! If the mixture stays put and doesn’t slide at all you know it’s ready.

Step 3: Add the vanilla, and beat for another minute. 

Step 4: Add a heaped tablespoon of the icing sugar to the mousse at a time, and beat until combined. Then continue to beat for a further 2 minutes.

 

That’s your mousse done. Now, to assemble.

Step 1: Mix the ingredients for the espresso drizzle in a bowl.

Step 2: Tip one of your serving glasses upside down and cut out 4 circles of cake. 

What to do with leftover cake? I save the rest of the cake in an airtight container to snack on with a cup of tea! You could also use it in a trifle, or crumbled and sprinkled over your vegan vanilla ice cream.

Step 3: Add a layer of cake to the bottom of each glass. 

Step 4: Brush or drizzle over ¼ of the espresso drizzle. Add ¼ of the aquafaba cream, then add another layer of cake and repeat until you reach the top of the glass.

Step 5: Finish with a liberal dusting of cocoa powder.  

Serve within 4 hours.

 

Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Tart

Biscuit Base

2 packs of oreos

4 tbsp melted coconut oil

Vegan meringue

60ml aquafaba

¼ tsp lemon juice

½ tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp icing sugar

 

Vegan chocolate mousse

200g dark chocolate, melted.

Need to know how to melt chocolate? Check out this recipe for a step-by-step guide. 

150g the thick creamy part of a tin of coconut milk  

Top tip: Make sure your coconut milk is separated by keeping the tin in the fridge overnight, or freeze it for 45 minutes if you’re short on time.

 

Toppings

3 tbsp icing sugar

Raspberries and strawberries to serve, optional

 

Let’s start with the biscuit base.

Step 1: With a food processor or a sandwich bag and rolling pin, crush the oreos into fine crumbs.  

Step 2: Mix with the melted coconut oil, and tip it all into a 18cm fluted tart tin. 

Step 3: Using the flat bottom of a glass press the crumb mixture into the base and sides to form your tart crust. Place in the fridge for one hour to set.

Next up, your vegan meringue.

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with an electric whisk, beat the aquafaba and lemon juice for 6 minutes until it forms stiff peaks. 

Tip: If you turn the bowl upside down, the mixture shouldn’t move a millimetre!  

Step 2: Pour in the vanilla, and beat for a further minute. 

Step 3: Add a heaped tablespoon of the icing sugar to the aquafaba, and beat until combined. 

Step 4: Scoop half the aquafaba mousse into another bowl (be gentle so you don’t knock all the air off). 

Step 5: With one half of your aquafaba, add the rest of the icing sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until completely combined.  Cover and put to one side.

 

That’s your vegan meringue topping! Let’s finish off that chocolate tart filling. 

Step 1: Not sure how to melt chocolate? Check out this recipe for tips. 

Step 2: If you haven’t yet, let the chocolate cool until you can handle it easily. Once cooled, mix it with the coconut cream. 

Step 3: Once fully combined, carefully fold in the half of aquafaba you set aside (not your meringue!). 

Step 4: Pour the mixture into your tart crust and chill in the fridge until it’s set. This should take about an hour.

 

All set? Time to decorate! 

Once the filling has set, dollop the meringue aquafaba on top, and create waves and peaks with the back of a spoon. If you have a kitchen blowtorch gently toast the outside of the meringue. 

Add some berries, et voilà! A gorgeous, decadent vegan tart. 

Keep it in the fridge, and serve within 4 hours.

 

If you make any of these delicious desserts with aquafaba, don’t forget to tag us @goustocooking so we can see!

Need more chickpea inspiration? Or supper ideas other store cupboard ingredients? Check out 10 Simple Feasts You Can Whip Up From Tins, and Rustle Up 20 Dinners With What’s In Your Cupboard for heaps of delicious, resourceful recipes from the Gousto Cookbook.