We’re crazy about baking! From flavours to ingredients to decorations, there are so many ways to experiment.
But what about when it comes to Vegan baking? We asked Vegan recipe developer and all-round foodie Kat Buckley, aka The Baking Explorer, to share her top tips on how you can bake the Vegan way…
Replacing eggs
- When you’re baking vegan it’s a simple step to swap cow’s milk for dairy free milk, or butter for dairy free spread. But what about eggs? If you’re baking cookies, brownies or anything that doesn’t rise, you can make a flax egg. This involves soaking 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds (also known as linseeds) in 4 tbsp water, the mixture will go gelatinous after 10 minutes and you can use it to replace the egg in your recipe.
Whip up a treat
- If you’d like to make dairy free whipped cream, then put a can of coconut milk in the fridge! After a few hours, the fat will separate from the water, leaving a thick white layer at the top of the can. Scoop out this creamy milk and whip it up with a little maple syrup for sweetness. It’s perfect for dolloping on top of trifles, or enjoying with scones at afternoon tea. And don’t waste the remaining coconut water, save it for your next curry or smoothie!
Magic meringues
- Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas. Next time you use chickpeas (maybe to make some homemade houmous?), save the liquid and you can use it to make vegan meringue. Whip it up with sugar, vanilla and cream of tartar (essential for stabilising the mixture) and you can make mini meringues, macarons and pavlovas! You can also freeze the aquafaba if you don’t want to use it straight away, or keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
A tip(ple) for making pastry
- Next time you’re making vegan pastry, add a splash of vodka. It stops gluten from forming, which results in a tender and more flaky pastry. You won’t be able to taste it in the final result and the alcohol content cooks off in the oven. It’s a secret little helper! You can also use other alcohol like brandy and whisky if you don’t have vodka available.
Always check the label
- If you’re new to vegan baking, don’t forget to double check your ingredients. A lot of people don’t know that honey is not vegan, or that many margarines and baking spreads use small amounts of dairy. If you’re outside of the UK, you’ll also need to check your sugar is suitable for vegans too.
For more Vegan recipe inspiration from Kat, head over to her website here > https://thebakingexplorer.com/
