Vegan Meringue Eton Mess
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
- The liquid from a 14oz tin of chickpeas (or three egg whites if you're going traditional, same method)
- 1 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 a 1 litre carton of coconut cream (the thick top half), chilled
- 3 fresh figs, quartered or cut into eights
- small bunch of dark grapes, halved
- 125g/4ozs. fresh raspberries
- The arils from a small pomegranate
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 130C/266F and line 2 trays with parchment. Place a strainer on top of a mixer bowl and empty out the chickpeas leaving the liquid in the bowl. Affix a whisk attachment. Start whisking on a high speed until it starts foaming. Add cream of tartar and sugar gradually and whisk until it becomes thick - it takes longer than with egg whites. The finished product should be glossy, firm and spreadable. If you can tip the container upside down without it moving then it is ready.
Step 2 - Pipe or dollop small rounds onto the lined tray. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until they are set. Cool. In the meantime, wash the bowl and put it in the fridge to chill.
Step 3 - Place the chilled coconut cream in the bowl and whip until creamy and fluffy. Just before serving, assemble the Eton Mess by folding the coconut cream with the meringues and fruit. Reserve some of the fruit and meringue to decorate.