Easy Guide to Baking Substitutes

There are so many excellent allergy-free cook books around
these days, the Cooking Without series for example, but did you
know you can also convert your favourite regular recipe
to suit your allergies? It’s easy once you know how! ENJOY!

Replace wheat flour with gluten-free flour. The general
substitution for gluten-free flours to wheat flours is 1:1. White
rice flour is commonly used but does not contribute much
flavour, so try adding spices such as nutmeg or cinnamon.
Corn or millet also work well or try one of our great glutenfree
flour mixes such as Horleys or Spoilt For Choice. To
help the recipe stick together without gluten, xanthan gum
or guar gum can be added in small quantities. Purpose-made
products like Orgran Gluten Substitute may also be used. Look
for them in the baking aisle. We also stock gluten-free baking
powder.

Replace dairy ingredients with non-dairy ingredients. As
with flours, the ratio is 1:1. Soy, rice, oat or almond milk all
work well providing you aren’t sensitive to any of those foods.
Canned or powdered coconut milk is also an option and some people can tolerate dairy if it’s fermented as in yoghurt or kafir. Many recipes work out fine with just water instead of the milk!

Replace the eggs. Orgran No Egg and Spoilt For Choice Egg Sub are egg substitutes in powder form used for bindingingredients and providing texture. It also helps your baked goods rise. Use according to directions. Mashed banana works well as an egg substitute in sweet recipes or try soaking a tablespoon of ground flax seed in water until it forms a jelly-like consistency and use in place of egg. This also adds fibre and omega 6 to your baking!

Replace butter with non-dairy fats. There are many options
to choose from. Celebes coconut oil, palm shortening such as
Rapunzel Palmo or Huckleberry’s pre-pack palm shortening
or King Land soy butter will all soften like butter and can
be used for icing, baked goods, melted butter recipes, etc.
Replace sugar with alternative sweeteners such as Xylitol
(cup for cup replacement) or one of the delicious syrups
now available such as maple, rice malt, agave or apple.
These syrups are very sweet so you can use a bit less than
the sugar in a recipe, just add a bit of extra flour to make
up the for the added liquid in the syrup..
some people can tolerate dairy if it’s fermented as in yoghurt
or kafir. Many recipes work out fine with just water instead
of the milk!

-Kristen Capaccio