Mini Banoffee Meringues — a plant-based British recipe by BOSH!
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Mini Banoffee Meringues

We are genuinely obsessed with these right now. Mini Banoffee Meringues are everything you want from a fancy dessert without the stress, and the fact that the meringue is made from aquafaba (the liquid from a tin of chickpeas) still blows our minds every single time. You get these light, crispy little clouds topped with caramel banana goodness and a pillowy whipped cream, and nobody ever guesses they're completely plant-based. They look seriously impressive on a table, perfect for dinner parties, birthdays, or honestly just a Tuesday when you want to treat yourself. Trust us on this one, make these tonight.

0
Serves 18

Before You Start

  • Stand mixer
  • 2x baking trays lined with parchment paper
  • Frying pan
  • Small saucepan
  • Liquidiser/blender
  • Heatproof bowl
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Drain & reserve aquafaba from 1x400g tin chickpeas
  • Cool meringues overnight in oven (or minimum 2 hours)

Ingredients

  • 140ml aquafaba - the drained water from 1x400g tin chickpeas
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 3 bananas
  • 25g dark chocolate
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 120ml full-fat coconut milk
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ tsp plant-based butter
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 150g cashews
  • 600ml full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ banana

Method

1

Pour the aquafaba into the mixer

  • Turn the mixer on to high and leave it running
  • Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat
  • After 2 minutes add the caster sugar, one spoonful at a time
  • Beat on high for 10–15 minutes
  • It’s ready when the aquafaba has magically transformed into a thick, meringue-like mixture that won’t fall off a spoon turned upside down
2

Bake the meringues

  • Spoon the meringue mixture on to the lined baking sheets to make nests about 8cm wide, no more than 1.5cm high and smooth on top, leaving 2cm between them
  • You should end up with about 18 nests (you can draw 8cm circles on the parchment paper, then flip over the paper and use them as templates)
  • Put the trays in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 100°C
  • Bake for 2 hours, then turn off the heat, leave the door closed and let the meringues cool completely, preferably overnight
  • Cooling the meringues overnight in the oven allows them to set properly and reduces the chances of them cracking due to sudden changes in temperature
3

Make the caramel sauce

  • Put the frying pan on a medium heat
  • Pour in the sugar, 75ml of the coconut milk and the salt
  • Bring to the boil, whisking continuously
  • Once the mixture has turned caramel in colour, about 10–15 minutes, remove from the heat
  • Add the rest of the coconut milk and the plant-based butter, stir through and transfer to a heatproof bowl
4

To make the cashew cream

  • Put the small saucepan over a medium heat
  • Add the nuts and 400ml of the coconut milk
  • Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until most of the coconut milk has evaporated
  • Transfer to the liquidiser
  • Add the icing sugar, vanilla and remaining 200ml coconut milk
  • Add the banana half to the liquidiser
  • Blend until really smooth
5

Assemble and serve

  • Peel 2–3 bananas and cut them into long diagonal slices (the longer they are the more beautiful they will look)
  • Lay half the slices on top of the meringues
  • Cover the bananas with dollops of coconut cream
  • Top with 1 or 2 more banana slices and lashings of caramel sauce
  • Finely grate over the chocolate and serve

Tips & Variations

  • Nail the meringue test: Before you spoon it out, turn the whisk upside down. If the mixture stays put without budging, you're good to go. If it slides, keep beating. This is the one step you don't want to rush.
  • Make them your own: We love loading these up with sliced banana and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, but a spoonful of peanut butter underneath the banana is an absolute game changer if you want to take it up a notch.
  • Keep them dry: Meringues hate moisture, so once they're baked, leave them in the oven with the door slightly ajar to cool completely. If your kitchen is humid they can go sticky fast, so make these on a dry day if you can.

Why This Works

The trick here is patience with the aquafaba. Beating it for the full 10 to 15 minutes is what transforms that cloudy tin liquid into a glossy, stiff meringue that holds its shape beautifully. Adding the caster sugar one spoonful at a time is key too, it keeps the mixture stable and gives you that classic meringue texture with a crisp shell and a slightly chewy centre.