Baking without eggs: How to use aquafaba to make meringues

You don’t need eggs to make meringues, pancakes and a host of other baked goods. If you know the science behind it, there are ingredients such as aquafaba that can do the same job

By Donna Lu

Ekaterina Khabieva/Alamy

What you need

400g can of chickpeas

Lemon juice

Sugar

I DON’T know what it is like for you, but in my neighbourhood it has been hard to buy eggs since The Event, so I have been searching for substitutes to use in baking.

Eggs have several important roles in baked foods. They bind ingredients, contribute moisture and trap bubbles, helping to create light textures. Vegan bakers and those with egg allergies have found a range of alternatives to fulfil these functions.

Perhaps surprisingly, most of these aren’t rich in fat and protein like eggs, but consist principally …