What does aquafaba meringue taste like?

When you first strain your chickpeas, you might be a bit turned off by the bean smell, but we promise the meringue tastes nothing like beans! Once you whip up the aquafaba and add in sugar, it tastes nearly indistinguishable from regular egg-based meringue.

Why did my aquafaba meringue collapse or get runny?

Aquafaba can be tricky, but if you follow the steps carefully, it should work perfectly. A few reasons it might not work include under and over mixing, not using cream of tartar, or adding the sugar in too quickly. Any of these factors may cause issues, so be sure to closely follow our recipe.

Can you freeze vegan meringue?

Yes, the meringue freezes well on top of this s'mores tart! You can keep in the freezer for up to a week.

S'mores Tart (Vegan) - Crowded Kitchen

Description

This vegan s'mores tart is the ultimate summer dessert! It's made with a buttery graham cracker crust, a two-ingredient chocolate ganache filling and a perfectly toasted vegan meringue topping. It's no bake, perfect for making ahead of time and such a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

Scale

Crust:

8 oz graham crackers (2 cups graham cracker crumbs)
4 tbsp melted vegan butter
2 tbsp agave or maple syrup

Filling:

12 oz dark chocolate (we used 72%)
1 can (13.5 fl oz) full fat coconut milk

Meringue:

¾ cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of low-sodium chickpeas)
½ tsp cream of tartar
1 cup caster sugar or very fine cane sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
¼ tsp xanthan gum (optional)

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Instructions

Add all crust ingredients to a food processor and pulse until the mixture comes together.
Press crust into a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom and place in freezer while you make the ganache.
In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk over medium heat until very hot, but not boiling. Pour over chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and let sit for 2 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
After a few minutes, whisk well until completely smooth. If the milk wasn't hot enough and the chocolate isn't completely melted, you can pop in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.
Pour chocolate ganache into crust and return to freezer to set. The filling takes about an hour to set, so wait to start the meringue until it's solid as you cannot top the tart if it's not set.
To make the meringue, add the aquafaba to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Beat at medium-high speed for 4-5 minutes.
For the first minute or two, the mixture will look frothy but won't have much volume, so continue mixing until soft peaks form.
Once you see soft peaks, add in the cream of tartar and continue mixing for a few more minutes at medium-high speed until it starts to thicken up. Slowly add in the sugar while the meringue is mixing. Add one spoonful at a time, allowing time for it to fully incorporate before adding in the next spoonful.
Once the sugar is fully incorporated, add in the xanthan gum (if using) and the vanilla extract. Continue mixing just until the meringue forms stiff peaks. If you turn the bowl upside down, the meringue shouldn't move at all.
You can either use a piping bag to pipe the meringue on the tart, or spread with a spatula, forming soft peaks. Lightly toast the meringue using a culinary blow torch. Serve immediately or refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Notes

Sugar: it's important to use fine sugar for the meringue, otherwise it will end up grainy. We've seen best results with caster sugar or superfine cane sugar (not organic cane sugar, which tends to have a much larger grain).

Aquafaba: we were able to get about 3/4 cups of aquafaba out of 1 standard can of chickpeas, but the amount varies between brands, so grab two cans just to be safe.

Xanthan gum: this helps to stabilize and thicken the meringue, but if you don't have any, it's fine to leave out.

Make ahead: you can make this entire tart up to a day or two ahead of time. The vegan meringue holds up surprisingly well in both the refrigerator and the freezer. We tested toasting the meringue 24 hours before serving as well as waiting to toast until just before serving and it was great both ways.

Don't over or under whip the meringue: the aquafaba meringue takes quite a while to form stiff peaks, so be patient and give it plenty of time to thicken up. That being said, don't let it go for too long or it will start to deflate.

Add the sugar in very slowly. It's important to add the sugar one spoonful at a time, with time in between each interval to let the sugar fully incorporate. Adding it too quickly may cause the meringue to deflate or not mix properly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: No Bake
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 476
Sugar: 41.6 g
Sodium: 209.2 mg
Fat: 23.9 g
Carbohydrates: 63.4 g
Fiber: 4.3 g
Protein: 4.1 g