How to make macarons without eggs?
Has anyone ever attempted eggless macarons? I'd love to try but all I am seeing as a potential egg white substitute is aquafaba... which I'm not fully sold on (I've read articles about why it may potentially not be the safest/healthiest choice). Any other options that could work and whip up to that same texture?
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In the case of your macarons, there isn't a substitute for the egg whites other than an aquafaba derived from one of the legume family that will work as well. Chia and flax will gel, but leave bits behind. Lecithin and agar agar are used to make culinary foams of liquids, but of course lecithin brings other dietary concerns. Plus you would still need a liquid to foam. I guess you could foam soy milk with lecithin, but that kind of kitchen chemistry always makes me nervous. Egg whites or aquafaba still seem to me the best choices. Unless you are eating macarons by the dozens on a daily basis, I don't really see a risk in either choice. I'd rather eat food that didn't require a degree in chemistry and a lab to create.
Fruit/vegetable puree
Seed gel
Blended tofu/nuts
Aquafaba
Fruit purees add moisture but don't bind very well. Seed gels are great for binding and add a little body. Blended tofu or nuts (usually cashews) are good for custardlike applications because of their silky textures. None of these can whip, so when it comes to whipped egg whites, aquafaba is pretty much your only substitute option. Coconut cream will whip, but because of its fat content it's more comparable to heavy cream, and so would melt if baked.
In any recipe, the amount of aquafaba consumed per serving is so small that I wouldn't worry about BPA or other compounds that it may contain.