Bake Off Inspired Vegan Meringues

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, I’m sure you’re aware last week on Bake Off was vegan week! I was so desperate to try some of the pies in the first challenge, they looked so amazing and I loved how everyone had created such original ideas and flavours (except John, bless him). THEN came the pavlova…I’ve been vegan for almost a year now and in all that time I haven’t had a meringue. I haven’t really gone out and looked for vegan meringue, but I’ve never seen it about anywhere either. You can probably imagine my excitement when my friend’s mum, who has a mad baking instagram, offered to make me some. Ang recreates the technical challenges from Bake Off each week and once she heard it was vegan week, I was offered some straight away in whatever flavour I desired. Unfortunately, my hazelnut praline soldiers didn’t make it, they got a little burnt under time constraints, which any baker knows is a meringue’s graveyard. Luckily, the amazing Ang whipped up some delicious strawberry stripe ones too, which were bloody lovely.So what makes them vegan? As soon as I mentioned vegan meringues to anyone, I was met with “HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO MAKE MERINGUES WITHOUT EGG”, let me tell you, there are so many egg replacements you can use for baking. This particular bake requires aquafaba, which is cooked chickpea water. It works perfectly, stiff peaks and everything!I was pretty impressed that these meringues didn’t have any strange taste, being cooked with chickpea water. They tasted EXACTLY like regular meringues, same gooey centre and everything. I couldn’t believe how well this recipe worked. Two vegan thumbs up.All I can say is these meringues were absolutely delicious and if you’re thinking about giving them a go, don’t be put off by chickpea water…because if you think about it…kind less weird than an egg innit. There are loads of recipes online, this one was inspired by Prue Leith’s Vegan Pistachio Praline recipe.

Huge round of applause for Ang for smashing her first ever vegan bake, definitely not an easy one to start with either! Go check out her Instagram if you want to see some amazing cakes! Thank you Ang!❤️

Now I’m just left wishing every Bake Off was vegan week OR just a whole other vegan bake off show!

Lon x