Healthy Baking Substitutes

All the great details are over at picklee.com

Egg Substitutes In Baking

 

 I started mixing a recipe and realized too late that I had used the last of the eggs. It was 11pm (yes, I bake late sometimes; you know, the second wind!) so I really didn't want to go out to the store. I remember my mom saying she'd done apple sauce or something like that once and it worked well so I did a little research and found some great options! 

Apple sauce/fruit puree 

1/4 cup sauce for every egg 

Best in: 

Cookies, cakes, quick breads, brownies

Vinegar 

1 teaspoon of baking soda along with 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Apple cider vinegar and white distilled vinegar can be used.

 

Best in:

Cakes, cupcakes, breads 

Buttermilk

If there are no other ingredients to make the baked item rise, then one of these can be used in place of the egg. Replace the liquid in the recipe with same amount of buttermilk or thinned yogurt. Replace baking powder with 1/4 as much baking soda.

Best in: 

Cookies, bars, flat breads

Flax Seed Meal

Whisk/blend together 1 teaspoon of flax seed powder with 1/4 cup of water for each egg to be replaced.

Best in: Cakes, pancakes, bran muffins, oat cookies, waffles 

 

Tofu

Substitute 1/4 cup of whipped silken tofu for each egg

Best in: Dense cakes, bread, cookies, brownies 

 

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How to temper chocolate

 So I made these last nigh!! YUM!! I had never tempered chocolate before and so I'm pretty proud of my first go! If you've ever wondered how to do it here you go!

Chop your chocolate. It is best to use at least 1 pound of chocolate, as it is easier to temper (and retain the temper) of larger amounts of chocolate. If this is more than you need, you can always save the extra for later use. Be sure that your chocolate is in block or bar form, not chocolate chips. The chips have additives that allow them to retain their shape at higher temperatures, and so they will not temper properly.

Melt 2/3 of your chocolate. Place it in the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water. Securely clip a chocolate or instant-read thermometer to the side of the boiler to monitor the chocolate’s temperature.

Stir gently but steadily as the chocolate melts and heats up. Use a rubber spatula, not a wooden or metal spoon.

Bring the chocolate to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 C) for dark chocolate or 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 C) for milk or white chocolate. Do not allow the chocolate to exceed its recommended temperature. When it is at the right temperature, remove it from the heat, wipe the bottom of the bowl, and set it on a heat-proof surface.

Add the remaining chunks of chocolate and stir gently to incorporate. The warm chocolate will melt the chopped chocolate, and the newly added chocolate will bring down the temperature of the warm chocolate.

Cool the chocolate. Once the chocolate gets below 84 degrees F (29 C), remove the remaining chunks of chocolate. They can be cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and saved for another use.

Reheat the chocolate briefly. Place the chocolate bowl over the warm water in the double boiler for 5-10 seconds, remove it and stir, and repeat, until the temperature reaches 88-89 degrees F (31 C), or 87 F (30 C) for milk and white chocolate. Do not leave the chocolate over the hot water, or allow it to exceed 91 degrees.

Your chocolate should now be tempered! To make sure it has been done properly, do a spot test: spread a spoonful thinly over an area of waxed paper and allow it to cool. If the chocolate is shiny and smooth, it is properly tempered. If it is dull or streaky, it has not been tempered correctly.

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Heavy Cream Substitute

 

I was making a crazy wonderful birthday cake for myself and I ran out of heavy cream for the chocolate ganache. Of course there's a substitute for everything right? 

So take 3/4 milk, and 1/2 butter: 

1. Melt the butter. 

2. Pour it into the milk, and stir. 

3. Use in place of one cup of heavy cream. 

(This substitute will not whip FYI) 

Substitution for Cream of Tartar

If you don't have any cream of tartar in your pantry, you can use one of these substitutes in its place:

For beating egg whites - use an equal amount of white vinegar or lemon juice, or omit the cream of tartar entirely

As a leavening agent - replace the baking soda and the cream of tartar in the recipe with baking powder. One teaspoon of baking powder replaces 1/3 tsp of baking soda and 2/3 tsp cream of tartar

For frosting - leave the cream of tartar out. No substitute is necessary.

Cooking Tip: Yeast Substitution

I was baking and was sure I had yeast but none, I didn't. I was already too far into it to go back so I was very happy when I found a substitute and that it worked

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:
Baking soda
Lemon juice

Preparation:
Add all ingredients according to the recipe

Then, add in equal parts baking soda and lemon juice to equal the amount of yeast called for in the recipe

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Substitute for butter in baking

I went to bake and I realized I didn't have any butter. I heard that oil (any cooking/baking oil) would work but I never really looked into it. I did a little searching and I found this great and helpful chart so I thought I would share it with you!

Butter	Olive Oil	Butter	Olive Oil
1 teaspoon	¾ teaspoon	5 mls	3 mls
2 teaspoons	1 ½ teaspoons	10 mls	7.5 mls
1 tablespoons	2 ½ teaspoons	15 mls	12.5 mls
2 tablespoons	1 ½ tablespoons	30 mls	22.5 mls
¼ cup	3 tablespoons	60 mls	45 mls
⅓ cup	¼ cup	80 mls	60 mls
½ cup	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons	125 mls	90 mls
⅔ cup	½ cup	160 mls	125 mls
¾ cup	½ cup + 1 tablespoon	185 mls	140 mls
1 cup	¾ cup	250 mls	175 mls
2 cups	1 ½ cups	500 mls	375 mls

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