There are a number of reasons that you might want to use an egg replacement in baking recipes. You might have an allergy, an alternative diet, or even just think they’re gross. In this article, we’re going to take you through some of the best egg replacement in baking on the market, and how you can use them best.
What’s egg used for in baking?
It’s a versatile ingredient, that’s common knowledge. Fun fact: all the folds in a chef’s hat are meant to represent all the ways to cook an egg!
If it’s so versatile, it comes as no surprise that it can have a number of different uses in baking which can make it hard to find an egg replacement in baking recipes.
Firstly, eggs are used to bind ingredients together. They’re wet and they have a strong protein structure, which means that they can give food structure by pulling all the ingredients together, ready for baking and eating.
Secondly, they can provide leavening. Eggs trap small pockets of air throughout the food, which causes them to expand during heating. This process helps bakes to puff up or rise, a great example of this is meringue. That dessert is made solely from egg whites and sugar, and the egg serves to help it rise dramatically.
Eggs can also provide moisture to a bake. In a number of sweeter bakes, not a lot of liquid ingredients are added, save for eggs and, sometimes, milk. The moisture that eggs provide to the recipe will help to make the end result much more delicious and succulent.
Finally, eggs can help to carry the flavors and colors of other ingredients throughout the dish. This allows your bakes to end up with a great flavor and appearance. Eggs actually contribute to that ‘golden brown’ color that baked goods get when cooked to perfection.
Egg Replacement In Baking? Some Great Replacements For Eggs In Baking
1 – Applesauce
This is a typically American ingredient, which is a puree made from cooked apples. Typically, it’s sweetened and spiced with some other ingredients, like nutmeg and cinnamon.
In most recipes, roughly a quarter-cup (65g) of applesauce is enough to replace an egg. Generally speaking, it’s best to use unsweetened applesauce, as otherwise, you may have to reduce the sweetener content in the rest of the recipe.
This is a great choice, as it can achieve all four of the uses for eggs that we outlined above! Also, they’ll add a similar amount of moisture to a bake as an egg would, ensuring the overall moisture level is good.
2 – Mashed Banana
Mashed banana is another very popular egg replacement in baking. The only true downside to using bananas here is that your end product may have a slight banana flavor. This may not be a problem for a number of dishes, but it’s worth considering if you feel strongly about that flavor. If you’d like to avoid that flavor, other ingredients can work just as well: pumpkin and avocado can be very effective and not affect the flavor anywhere near as much.
Foods that are made with pureed fruit instead of eggs can have a slightly different texture. Typically, they’ll be a little moister and denser, though they may not brown as well and evenly. The first point can be very important if you’re hoping for a very light sponge, but the second point is much more of an aesthetic problem. Personally, I’ve never come across an aesthetic problem that can’t be solved with plenty of buttercream!
Because of the texture and taste differences, this substitution works best for cakes, muffins, and brownies. You’d use the same amount in this example as you would in our first example – roughly a quarter-cup or 65g.
3 – Ground Flaxseeds or Chia Seeds
Flaxseeds and chia seeds are both tiny seeds that are very nutritious. They’re high in a number of great nutrients, most notably omega-3 fatty acids, which otherwise are difficult to find in plants.
If you’re particularly well tooled-up, you can grind the seeds yourself in your own home. However, if you don’t happen to have a grinder sitting on the side, you can buy ready-made seed meal from a lot of grocery stores.
In order to replace one egg, whisk together 1 tablespoon (7g) of the seed meal with 3 tablespoons (45g) of water until fully absorbed and thickened completely. Then, add it to your bake and mix until thoroughly combined and homogenous.
Using this substitute in your baking can alter your bakes substantially. It can make them much heavier, and give them a nuttier flavor. For that reason, as good substitution as this is, it may be worth only using it in pancakes, waffles, muffins, bread, and cookies. These dishes are typically pretty dense anyway, so enhancing that factor may actually be a good thing!
4 – Commercial Egg Replacer
This is perhaps the easiest, most simple, and most elegant way to solve the egg problem. There are a number of egg replacers on the market, and they shouldn’t adversely affect the flavor or texture of your bake.
Typically, these egg replacers are made up of potato starch, tapioca starch, and leavening agents. Each brand comes with its own instructions, which should be followed to ensure the best bake for you. Typically, however, you combine one-and-a-half teaspoons (10g) of the egg replacer powder with two to three tablespoons (30-45g) of warm water to make up a solution which will replace one egg. As with the seeds above, you need to thoroughly mix the powder into the water until dissolved and thickened and then add it to your bake.
Whatever egg replacement in baking you use for your recipes, you’re sure to have a good bake if you follow the ingredients that we’ve outlined here. Always make sure to consider the potential flavor that the ingredient could add! If you find a really good flavor combination, then let us know. We imagine that using a nuttier egg replacement such as flaxseeds could be really good in well-spiced banana bread. On the subject of banana bread, here’s a last-minute tip: before you put your banana bread in the oven, sprinkle a little brown sugar on top, it’s amazing! Happy baking!
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What I know about egg replacement is usually done if your client is vegan or allergic to egg as an ingredient. Great alternatives that you shared by the way. Really appreciate how informative your blog is! Many thanks from NY…