BAKING SUBSTITUTIONS EDUCATION & INFORMATION
Many people seek baking substitutes for various reasons, whether it’s to provide healthier options for children, address health issues or food sensitivities, or simply to avoid eggs, refined sugars, or white flours. Regardless of the motivation, it's essential to understand that there are plenty of alternatives for the ingredients we choose to omit from our baking.
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So, where do we start when it comes to making substitutions? Naturally, we can replace an ingredient that someone is allergic to or needs to limit, such as an egg in a baked recipe. However, to make an effective substitution, it's essential to understand the ingredient being replaced. For example, eggs play a crucial role in baking by providing structure, emulsification, binding, and leavening, all of which contribute to the desired texture, appearance, and flavor of baked goods. When substituting eggs with alternatives like mashed bananas or chia seeds, the chemical reactions can vary—sometimes significantly, and other times slightly.
"Eggs offer structure, emulsification, binding, and leavening properties. They are essential for achieving the desired texture, appearance, and flavor in baked goods, which explains why they are a common ingredient in numerous recipes."
Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids fiber, and calcium. When combined with water, they form a gel-like consistency that acts similarly to eggs, helping to bind ingredients together. Incorporating chia seeds in baking prevents breads and other baked goods from drying out.
It's essential to remember that while chia eggs do not exactly bind and set like traditional eggs, they work well in most cookies, muffins, pancakes, waffles, quick breads, and some cakes.
Because of its high moisture content, bananas can help bind batters and add moisture to baked goods similarly to eggs, though they do not provide the same leavening effects. When substituting, use half of a medium-sized mashed ripe banana for one large egg, or one medium-to-large mashed ripe banana to replace two eggs.
Apple sauce is a vegan substitute for eggs in recipes such as cakes, muffins, and cookies. The natural pectin acts as a thickener, helping to bind the ingredients together and creating a fluffy, moist texture. To substitute for one egg, use 1/4 cup of applesauce.
Pumpkin Puree acts as a binding agent because of its moisture content and slight fat, similar to how eggs function in baking. This aids in holding the ingredients together and adds a smooth texture to the final product. However, pumpkin puree does not have leavening properties, so a leavening agent is necessary for that purpose. Generally, you can substitute one egg with 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, although this may vary depending on the recipe.
