If you've ever use canned chickpeas, you’ve seen — and likely thrown away — one of the most useful ingredients in vegan baking: Aquafaba. Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas. This starchy liquid is a great binder directly from the can, but what really makes it magical is that it whips to create a foam. You can fold it into blueberry muffins to lighten them, or mix it with sugar and vanilla to make meringue. For batters where you don’t need to see much puff in your baked goods, like brownies, you can pour aquafaba straight into the batter. The great news is that it takes the place of eggs, and these days that’s a big deal. To replace one whole large egg, use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba, and for one egg white, use 2 tablespoons. Just whip the aquafaba until it’s the consistency you need. Aquafaba can even replace egg wash to add color and shine to the exterior of breads and other treats.
