Gluten-free Vegan Pavlova

Aquafaba is the water or brine you find in canned beans. Typically, you’d rinse the beans in a colander or strainer to wash away the liquid, but with this next recipe you save the brine (aquafaba).

You can also save the aquafaba and use it when a recipe calls for stock, but also an egg-white substitute. Whip it up with a hand mixer or stand mixer until it’s light and fluffy. It is an amazing, low calorie and no-waste option!

Let us then jump into this recipe for a gluten-free vegan pavlova.

Preparation: 2 hours or overnight
Serves: 4

Pavlova:

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp (45ml, 45g) aquafaba from chickpeas
• 90g caster sugar
• ½ tsp white vinegar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp corn starch

Method:

• Preheat oven to 110C°.
• Take parchment or wax paper and draw four circles (7.5cm diameter).
• Place the paper on the baking tray, pencil-side down.
• Place aquafaba and vinegar in a bowl and beat it with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
• Start adding the sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time until thick and glossy.
• Continue to beat the meringue on high speed. Add the corn starch and the vanilla and beat at low speed until just combined.
• Using the pencil lines as a guide, spoon 4 rounds of meringue onto the prepared sheet. Indent the centre of each meringue with a spoon to achieve a pavlova form.
• Bake the meringues for 2 hours. Switch off the oven and allow them to cool inside the oven with the door closed for at least 2 hours (better yet, leave them in the oven overnight).
• Decorate with cream and fruit before eating.

Custard cream:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240ml) coconut cream
• 2-3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 ½ Tbsp corn starch
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or normal vanilla essence)
• A pinch of turmeric powder

Method:

• In a saucepan, place corn starch and 6 tablespoons of coconut cream and stir well. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk well.
• Heat the mixture on a low-medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens.
• Transfer it to a container and cover the surface with a plastic wrap. After it has cooled down, put it in the fridge to chill (this step usually coincides with the meringues being left overnight).
• Before use, whisk the cream until smooth.