FRENCH MACARONS
Make sure when you are making these that
you follow the instructions closely. You will
need an accurate digital kitchen scale that
weighs small amounts to make this recipe
a success.Makes: 12 macaronsIngredients:
• 60ml (¼ cup) concentrated aquafaba
• 40g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 50g (¼ cup) ground almonds
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 50g (⅓ cup) icing sugar
• ⅛ tsp whole vanilla seeds
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Recipe Chocolate Ganache (see
recipe below)1 In mixer bowl, combine aquafaba,
granulated sugar and cream of tartar. Turn
mixer speed to low and beat for 2 minutes.
Turn up speed to medium and beat for 2
minutes. Set to highest speed and beat
mixture until stiff peaks form, about 6
minutes.2 Meanwhile, sift ground almonds, corn
flour and icing sugar together through
fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, to remove any
lumps or large pieces. Add vanilla seeds
and stir well.3 Remove bowl of aquafaba meringue
from mixer. Remove wire whisk and bang
it against side of bowl to remove any
meringue. Add vanilla extract and gently
fold it in with just a few strokes.4 Using a spatula, fold almond mixture into
aquafaba meringue, counting 50 strokes.
When you lift the spatula out of the bowl,
the mixture should be glossy and flow
slowly off the spatula, like lava. When it
hits the rest of the mixture in the bowl, it
should incorporate back into the mass fairly
quickly, rather than pile up on top. If your
mixture is not at this point after 50 strokes,
continue to fold, checking after every 10
strokes for the right consistency.5 Using spatula, transfer to piping bag. On
prepared baking sheets, begin by piping
the outline of a circle with meringue
mixture, about 2.5cm (1 inch) in diameter.
Then fill it in with one continuous stroke,
finishing in the center, so that it resembles
a chocolate kiss. (Be sure to hold pipingC
hickpeas are a staple in a vegan’s
kitchen cupboard. They’re
versatile, packed with protein,
high in fibre and enable us to produce a
multitude of plant-based dishes full of
nutrients and flavour. From falafel, to
houmous, burgers and curry- the Middle
Eastern legume’s uses are endless and
delicious.
But following a few of the latest
cookbook launches and many food
bloggers sharing dishes featuring an
unknown white and whippy foam, it’s
no longer the bean part of the chickpea
that is getting the vegan society inspired
in the kitchen. May we introduce you to
‘Aquafaba’, pronounced (Ak-wah-far-ba).
With an appearance similar to extra
thick cream, Aquafaba is made from
whipping up chickpea’s brine (aka the
unappetising chickpea juice you usuallydispose of down the drain) and has
been making its way on to many vegan
and wellness menus.
Why? Well, it turns out the legume’s
water isn’t waste but an exceptional
egg substitute. Whilst the white fluffy
substance fails to contain a third of
the protein egg has, it provides only 3
calories per tablespoon. Plus, it’s an
anticipated alternative that will solve a
lot of vegan baking issues.
All you need to do is chuck the chickpea
brine in the blender instead of the
sink and blitz for 5-10 minutes until
the mixture forms a whipped white
consistency. And then, it’s time to
decide how you’d like to use it. From
marshmallow fluff, to brownies,
macaroons, waffles, meringue, cookies,
cupcakes and even mayo — can you find
anything aquafaba can’t do?The chickpea trick we’ve all been missing
AquaFaba Feasts