As pretty (and delicious) as it is, vegan meringue can be, shall we say, a little temperamental. Trust me when I say I’ve tried it every which way but this method seems to render the most consistent results. I prefer to use my ‘aquafaba’ at room temperature, as it seems to whip much more easily, which is the absolute key to success – you want those peaks as stiff as you can get ‘em. Granted, this does take a little patience (much longer than the eggy equivalent, in my opinion) but it should mean you end up with a pretty much invincible pavlova that is sure to wow your guests.

Ingredients

200ml chickpea liquid (1 x 400g chickpeas, drained)

150g icing sugar

1 tsp. cream of tartar (optional)

1 tsp. rose water (optional)

For the filling

400g coconut yoghurt

½ tbsp. pomegranate syrup (not molasses)

Toppings

2 x pomegranates, de-seeded

50g crushed pistachios

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius.

2. Drain the liquid from the chickpeas into a large bowl. Whisk vigorously with an electric whisker for around 10-15 minutes until it forms stiff peaks. Sift in the sugar a little a time, whisking thoroughly each time to incorporate. Finally add the cream of tartar and rose water, if using, and whisk again until the peaks are stiff and hold their shape with ease.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roughly dollop the mixture onto the sheet, smoothing with the back of a spatula into your desired shape.

4. Bake for 3hrs, turn the oven off and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven before removing … at least 2 hrs but preferably overnight. Don’t be tempted to open the door. If not using immediately it is crucial you store the pavlova in an airtight container until needed.