Exploring Alternative Binders: Creative Uses of Chickpea Liquid in Sweet Treats' Formulations
Rewritten Article:
Hey there! I wanted to give you a lowdown on a nifty kitchen hack - using aquafaba (chickpea brining liquid) to replace eggs, especially when the price of eggs is skyrocketing. As an avid egg lover, I never really saw the need to dabble in this chickpea liquid business. But here we are!
So, let's dive in and see how you can make magic with this humble chickpea liquid.
Aquafaba does an impressive job of binding thanks to the starches that leak out from the chickpeas and into the brine. When cooked, these starches, salt, and leftover ingredients come together to form a sticky web. And the best part? You can whip up this wonder liquid for a fraction of the cost of eggs.
Cooking chickpea liquid might not give you a traditional egg, but turning it into a thin sheet of cooked starch shows it's capable of some interesting feats. Just keep in mind that the salt content in canned chickpeas can vary significantly. If the aquafaba you're using is overly salty, you'll need to reduce the salt in your recipe accordingly.
Put aquafaba to work in batters
One of the key reasons eggs find their way into cookie dough and cake batters is their binding powers. Lucky for us, aquafaba can handle that task quite nicely. It might not give the same puffiness as eggs, but we'll tackle that issue later on.
For batters that don't require much rise, like brownies, you can use aquafaba directly. For a large egg, use three tablespoons of aquafaba, and for an egg white, use two tablespoons.
If you're working with a recipe that you'd love to see rise a little, whip the aquafaba first. Just whisk it until it's soft and foamy - no need for stiff peaks. Mix it into your dough as usual during the egg stage, and you'll have cookies that look all mounded up, and your average cake batter with a teensy bit of lift. It might add an extra five to 10 minutes to your baking time, but it's worth it.
Aquafaba is your new meringue partner
Meringue, that delightful concoction of egg whites and sugar, can also be made with aquafaba. Trust me, this bean syrup has never steered me wrong when I've given it a spin.
Know this: no matter whether you're working with egg-based or aquafaba meringue, it won't last forever. Always stabilize it with a bit of cream of tartar to give yourself a bit more time to work with that cloud-like whipped goodness. For one cup of aquafaba, you'll need half a teaspoon of cream of tartar. Whip it all up until it's foamy on top, then add the sugar and keep whipping until it forms stiff peaks. Use your newfound meringue to create delectable meringue cookies, decadent pavlovas, or fold it into other batters for an extra-light texture.
Use aquafaba for egg wash
Egg wash, the unsung hero of the baking world, helps seal together pies and pastries and adds shine to breads and other sweet treats. While sour cream makes a fine exterior egg wash, it's not so great for binding. Aquafaba is here to save the day. Simply brush your pastry or bread with aquafaba as you would with regular egg wash and get back to your recipe. You might catch a hint of salt, but it won't ruin the flavor.
- Aquafaba, the chickpea brining liquid, can be used as a cost-effective substitute for eggs in baking, particularly when the price of eggs is high.
- When whipped, aquafaba can act as a binding agent in batters, allowing you to make mounded-up cookies or a risen cake batter, even if it may require an additional 5 to 10 minutes of baking time.
- Exploring new possibilities, aquafaba can also be used to make meringues that are stable and can be used to create various desserts such as meringue cookies, pavlovas, or added to other batters for an extra-light texture.
