Cooking advice
Aquafaba: do not always pour chickpea liquid away
Aquafaba is the liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas. Dissolved starches and proteins allow it to foam and sometimes replace egg whites; the result depends on concentration.
What you need: About 120 ml liquid from unsalted chickpeas, a clean bowl, electric whisk and optional sugar.
How to do it
- Use canned chickpea liquid or cooking liquid. If it is very thin, reduce it gently and allow it to cool completely.
- Whisk in a clean, grease-free bowl for several minutes; add sugar gradually for a more stable sweet foam.
- Fold the foam gently into a cooled base to make mousse.
- For meringues, think low-temperature drying rather than fast baking at high heat.
Common mistake
Grease on the bowl or hot, overly concentrated liquid can hinder whipping.
Quick tip
Use the chickpeas themselves in salad, curry or hummus.