vegan baking - substituting dairy and eggs
Squidgy chocolate brownies (non-gluten, non-dairy)
Makes 16
110g dairy-free margarine
85g good-quality dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids (check for traces of nuts or soya lecithin for nut and soya allergies)
55g potato flour
225g granulated sugar
1tsp gluten-free baking powder
½tsp salt
3 eggs
Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment so the paper stands 2.5cm above the tin, and grease lightly with oil.
Melt the margarine and chocolate together over a gentle heat, stirring continuously.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Beat the eggs into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Quickly stir in all the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf for 20-30 minutes or until the centre just gives when pressed.
Remove from the oven and leave to set in the tin for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Egg substitutes
· For sponge cakes, muffins and fruit cake, replace each egg in the recipe with 50ml apple or apricot puree and replace plain flour with self-raising flour.
· For soft batter cakes such as fruit loaves, brownies and ginger bread, replace each egg with 50ml milk, use self-raising flour and add 1tsp of baking powder for every 110g flour in the recipe.
· For pancakes, make egg-free batter with a mixture of 55g plain flour, 30g arrowroot powder and 30g tapioca flour and 350ml milk.
Flour substitutes
· In shortcrust pastry, replace plain flour with 50% rice flour and 50% fine cornmeal.
· In soft batter cakes, replace every 55g plain flour in your recipe with an equal quantity of potato flour, 1tsp of baking powder and an extra egg.
· In sponge and fruit cakes, replace self-raising or plain flour with 50% rice flour, 25% ground almonds and 25% corn flour. For every 110g flour, add 2tsp baking powder and three eggs.
· To thicken sauces, replace plain flour with an equal quantity of rice flour or corn flour.
Dairy substitutes
· Use soya or rice milk with cereal and to make white sauce, batters and mashed potato.
· Use olive oil instead of butter for frying, grilling and roasting.
· Use 2tbsp vegetable oil to replace every 40g butter for making a roux to thicken soups, sauces and stews.
· Use dairy-free hard-baking margarine instead of butter in cakes, dough and crumbles.
· Use soya single cream instead of whipping or double cream in homemade ice cream.
· Use mayonnaise as a base for dips and sauces.
Makes 16
110g dairy-free margarine
85g good-quality dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids (check for traces of nuts or soya lecithin for nut and soya allergies)
55g potato flour
225g granulated sugar
1tsp gluten-free baking powder
½tsp salt
3 eggs
Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment so the paper stands 2.5cm above the tin, and grease lightly with oil.
Melt the margarine and chocolate together over a gentle heat, stirring continuously.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Beat the eggs into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Quickly stir in all the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf for 20-30 minutes or until the centre just gives when pressed.
Remove from the oven and leave to set in the tin for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
Egg substitutes
· For sponge cakes, muffins and fruit cake, replace each egg in the recipe with 50ml apple or apricot puree and replace plain flour with self-raising flour.
· For soft batter cakes such as fruit loaves, brownies and ginger bread, replace each egg with 50ml milk, use self-raising flour and add 1tsp of baking powder for every 110g flour in the recipe.
· For pancakes, make egg-free batter with a mixture of 55g plain flour, 30g arrowroot powder and 30g tapioca flour and 350ml milk.
Flour substitutes
· In shortcrust pastry, replace plain flour with 50% rice flour and 50% fine cornmeal.
· In soft batter cakes, replace every 55g plain flour in your recipe with an equal quantity of potato flour, 1tsp of baking powder and an extra egg.
· In sponge and fruit cakes, replace self-raising or plain flour with 50% rice flour, 25% ground almonds and 25% corn flour. For every 110g flour, add 2tsp baking powder and three eggs.
· To thicken sauces, replace plain flour with an equal quantity of rice flour or corn flour.
Dairy substitutes
· Use soya or rice milk with cereal and to make white sauce, batters and mashed potato.
· Use olive oil instead of butter for frying, grilling and roasting.
· Use 2tbsp vegetable oil to replace every 40g butter for making a roux to thicken soups, sauces and stews.
· Use dairy-free hard-baking margarine instead of butter in cakes, dough and crumbles.
· Use soya single cream instead of whipping or double cream in homemade ice cream.
· Use mayonnaise as a base for dips and sauces.