Before you drain that can of chickpeas and discard the water they’ve soaked in, you might want to save the leftover liquid. Vegans say it’s actually a secret baking ingredient. Called aquafaba (a derivation of “bean water”), the water drained from chickpeas, white kidney beans, or navy beans—or even the liquid surrounding tofu—helps replicate the chemistry of egg whites, binding together wet ingredients or forming the peaks of a meringue, says vegetarIan Food blogger Rebecca Coleman. Bean water will keep up to a week in the fridge in a container, or try freezing it in ice cube trays for later use. Get inspired with Coleman’s sample S’mores Cups recipe, below, from her new book, Aquafabulous!
Recipe courtesy of Aquafabulous! 100+ Egg-Free Vegan Recipes Using Aquafaba by Rebecca Coleman. © 2017 robertrose.ca. Available where books are sold.
<h4 class="recipe-ingredients__title">Ingredients</h4>
<ul class="recipe-ingredients__list">
<li>1 cup vegan graham cracker crumbs</li>
<li>¼ cup vegan butter alternative, melted</li>
<li>½ cup chopped 70% bittersweet (dark) vegan chocolate</li>
<li>3 tbsp unsweetened nondairy milk</li>
<li>¼ cup aquafaba</li>
<li>2 tbsp granulated sugar</li>
<li>⅛ tbsp cream of tartar</li>
<li>⅛ tbsp vanilla bean seeds</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="block-title"><span>Directions</span></h2>
<li>Preheat oven to 350 ̊F. In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.</li>
<li>Line a 6-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Place 2 tbsp graham cracker mixture in bottom of each muffin cup, packing down with a glass. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a wire rack.</li>
<li>Fill a small saucepan with about 1 to 2 inches water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. In a heat-proof metal bowl, combine chocolate and milk. Set bowl on saucepan so that it fits tightly and doesn’t touch the water below. Stir chocolate until it’s melted and smooth and glossy (not thick and lumpy). If it’s too thick, add a little more milk.</li>
<li>Spoon about 2 tbsp melted chocolate over each graham cracker base, spreading it into an even layer. Transfer to freezer for at least 30 minutes.</li>
<li>In a mixing bowl, combine aquafaba, sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla seeds. Beat with a hand mixer at low speed for 2 minutes. Turn speed to medium, and beat for 2 minutes. Turn to highest speed, and beat until fluffy and peaks form, about 4 to 6 minutes. Texture will be similar to marshmallow fluff.</li>
<li>Spoon fluff into each muffin cup, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.</li>
<li>Just before serving, pop cups out of muffin tin, peeling back paper liners. Use a torch to toast the tops, if desired.</li>
<h5 class="post-actions__title">Want a copy on the go?</h5>
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