This two-ingredient lockdown meringue dessert doesn’t need any eggs or flour

Looking for an easy dessert to make as a lockdown treat but struggling to find eggs or flour?

Or maybe you’re trying not to go out to the supermarket more than you need to and you’ve run out.

Well, try these meringues that are made without eggs and need just two ingredients, which means it is a perfect for anyone craving something sweet.

It is a repurposed vegan recipe but it can be made with things you hopefully have in your store cupboard already.

The secret is a tin of chickpeas. You can keep the chickpeas themselves to make a curry or some homemade hummus but you need to reserve the liquid they are sat in.

It might sound a little off-putting, but trust us, it doesn’t taste of anything!

For sugar, caster sugar is best but it will work with any type you can find – icing sugar or granulated sugar is fine. Even brown sugar will work but it will have a slightly different colour and taste.

To make the meringues, you will need:

400g tin of chickpeas

75g of sugarPreheat your oven to 120C and put some greaseproof paper on a baking tray.

Method:

Drain a can of chickpeas. You can do this by placing a sieve over a bowl and pouring everything in. You can put the chickpeas back in the can and place them in the fridge to use later. A 400g can will give you about 150ml of aquafaba liquid.

You won’t need all the liquid for the meringues – measure out 50g. You can keep the rest in the fridge for a few days or freeze it in an ice cube tray. Thaw it when you want to use it again and it will whip up just as well.

Whisk the aquafaba in a stand mixer or hand mixer for a few minutes. You want it to come to stiff peaks. If it slides around when the bowl is turned upside down, you need to keep whisking.

Slowly add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while whisking on a high speed. You need to whisk for about five minutes until the mixture is glossy.

Fill a piping bag and pipe out your meringues if you are feeling fancy. If you want something a bit simpler, just use two tablespoons to make little mounds on the baking tray.

Bake for two hours. Leave to cool in the oven for at least two hours – overnight if you can.

Serve with fruit and whatever you have. They’re great with cream, yoghurt, ice cream or try another vegan favourite – whipped coconut cream (put a can of coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours until it separates. Put the solids in a bowl and whisk for a few minutes).