Baking Substitutions

How often as a cook do you reach for an ingredient and find the jar or packet empty? Disaster looms. You need to find a cooking of baking substitution quickly or the meal will be ruined. Using a cooking or baking substitution has its drawbacks. It may change both the taste and texture of your baking. But it may just be a lifesaver. Here are a few guidelines what ingredients to choose.

Honey and sugar baking substitutions

White sugar, brown sugar, honey and maple syrup are all interchangeable - but watch those weights. Honey, for example, weighs twice as much as white sugar. Honey and maple syrup also add extra moisture. Honey is more acidic as well so you might wish to neutralize this with a pinch of baking soda.

Here are some guidelines for sugar, honey and syrup as baking substitutions. You can substitute brown for white sugar 1:1. Add molasses to white sugar to substitute it for brown.

To use honey instead of sugar use 3 parts honey for 4 parts sugar and cut down the liquid in the recipe. To replace honey with sugar reverse the ratios to 4:3 and add more liquid to compensate. The same ratios apply to substituting maple syrup and white sugar.

Cooks have not had much success in cutting sugar out of baking by using sugar substitutes. They tend to lose their flavour in the oven. Real sugar also adds texture and bulk to baking, while substitutes don't.

Fruits for fats baking substitutions

There are tales of cooks substituting fruit for fats in baking recipes. Applesauce is a good baking substitution for fats and oils (and fewer calories too) but cakes and biscuits can taste tough if you overdo it as the fat helps prevent gluten formation in baking. Fats also 'carry' a lot of the flavour. If you opt for fruits instead mix all the dry and liquid ingredients separately, don't put them together until the last minute and then mix them only gently.

Whole milk cooking substitutions

Many people prefer skimmed milk these days but substituting it for whole milk can bring problems. Skimmed milk has more of a tendency to curdle. You can boost the fat content of skimmed milk with a little cream.

Soya milk can be substituted for cows milk but there is a great variation in taste. Use them for desserts rather than for savoury dishes. Soya milk also tends to curdle when boiled.

Egg substitutes in baking

Eggs are used both for flavouring and as a binding agent in cakes, puddings and other dishes. Vegans have the answer to a cooking substitution for eggs. Replace each egg in a recipe use any of the following. Mix 1 tbsp chick pea flour with 1 tbsp water; 50 ml white sauce; half a mashed banana, 2 tbsp flour and water and 1/2 tsp baking powder and shortening.

Baking substitutions for cream

Cream comes in many different strengths. Thicken up light cream with melted, unsalted butter in different proportions for varying strengths. Add 2 tbsp melted butter to a cup of milk as a substitute for ordinary cream, or 2/3 whole milk and 1/3 unsalted butter for heavy whipping cream.

For a sour cream substitute use yoghurt and add some melted butter to the right thickness or simply use creme fraiche instead. For another sour cream substitute add 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk and leave it to stand for 10 minutes.

For clotted cream you can use creme fraiche, mascarpone cheese or whipping cream as a substitute.

A good substitute for creme fraiche is sour cream, or use whipping cream with a dash of yogurt. If you have no yogurt use equal parts of whipping cream and sour cream.

Other useful baking substitutions

There are many ingredients that can be substituted in cooking recipes but the golden rule is always to watch the weights. In substituting dry and liquid ingredients always add or reduce the liquid content so that the resulting mix is not too dry or too runny. Here are a few good baking substitutions:

If you have ordinary flour and need self raising just add 11/2 tps baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt to each cup of flour. To make your own baking powder mix 1/2 tsp tartar sauce with 1/4 baking soda and 1/4 cornstarch.

A good substitute for cornstarch is double the amount of ordinary flour or you could use the same amount of arrowroot. If you have run out of breadcrumbs crush some cream crackers or use ground oats or even use crushed potato crisps/chips.

Stuck for currants? Try chopped dates or other dried fruit and a good substitute for grated ginger is dry ginger and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Limes, lemons and oranges are all good substitutes for each other and you can mix your own marzipan with two cups of almond pate, one cup of sugar and 2 tbsp light corn syrup.

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