Wot, No Eggs?!

The Beginner's Guide To Becoming An Expert Vegan Baker

By Andrea Wren

Chocolate and Beyond

Introduction

I have always been a keen cook and very thrilled by my kitchen creations and feeding other people. But when I became vegan, one of the things I was most determined to do was find new ways of recreating some of my old, familiar recipes.

Traditional buttermilk scones, for example, was something I often baked for afternoon teas. And I wondered how I would ever have these again. Of course, I found a way – and my vegan scones turned out to be just as delicious as they used to be. No one knows the difference.

I think a lot of people still have the impression (as I used to) that vegan baking is somehow inferior, and lacking in taste – this couldn't be further from the truth.

A phrase that another vegan used, which I now love to use myself, is “constraints lead to creativity”, and you will find that vegan baking is some of the most exciting – with wonderful tastes and flavours absent in 'traditional' baking since vegans are some of the most committed foodies out there.

You will find the following sections ahead of you:

1. Learning new tricks – the 'ins and outs' of vegan baking2. What's vegan in baking, and what isn't – knowing what you can & can't use3. Wot, no eggs? - how to replace eggs4. Swapping all the rest – fats, milks and sweeteners – um, swapping the rest!5. A few insider tips – knowledge is power6. Recipes & resources – get started!

So please read on to discover the joys of egg-free, dairy-free and otherwise animal-free baking. There are no mysteries.

Andrea x

PS. A note for those with a gluten-free requirement – I'm afraid this guide does focus on vegan baking, but since my dad has Coeliac's disease, I do experiment with gluten-free baking myself.

If this is an issue for you, I will point you to couple of other recipes that can be found on the web, tried and tested by myself, that are great gluten-free options.

1. Learning new tricks

You may be vegan yourself and new to the vegan lifestyle, or just not familiar with baking, and looking to unravel vegan baking 'mysteries' (there are none, as you shall soon find out!).

Or you may be lactose-intolerant or have an egg-allergy, and therefore unable to use dairy products and eggs in whatever you create anyway.

Or maybe you're just looking to explore vegan baking and tuck a few extra culinary skills under your apron, without actually being vegan yourself (in which case, it's great that you're reading this!).

Whatever reason you're here though, the main purpose of this guide is to help you discover that baking without animal ingredients is easy peasy, lemon squeezy, and to help you understand the basics of vegan baking a little more – and what it involves.

But there are no secrets that you will only uncover by doing a funny handshake, and you don't need any really special, weird ingredients that will require searching in musty-smelling shops to find.

And that egg-replacer stuff you can buy? Well, I do have to say that I pride myself on having never baked with it all, and I never intend to. I honestly don't think there is any need, because I'm not sure eggs were ever meant to be in baking anyhow!

But why bother with vegan baking?

Well, I think the question should really be, why not?

Learning how to bake without eggs, milk and butter (as well as other animal-derived ingredients like honey) is downright liberating. Not just for the animals on whom you are no longer making demands, but for you, who shall be able to whip up a perfect batch of chocolate muffins in a jiffy, regardless of whether there are any eggs in the pantry.

And if you're thinking your treats may not be as tasty – think again. People have yummed into the things I bake with relish, and if I ate a lentil burger for everytime I hear the question “That's not vegan, is it?”, I'd be wearing my duvet covers by now, for lack of anything fitting.

I have also friends that have manufactured 'taste tests' with cakes they made as vegan and non-vegan, and the vegan ones have come out with more gold stars.

But if you've been somewhere and have eaten terrible vegan cake, it's because the baker was rubbish – not because vegan baking is rubbish. Anyway, how many times have you eaten bad non-vegan cake?

Of course, I've already mentioned allergies, and baking in a vegan-stylee means that your goodies will be safe for people with two sorts of allergies – lactose and egg.

It's worth noting too, that lactose-intolerance among children is on the rise – and it often goes hand in hand with an egg allergy – so if your baking is vegan, it will be a safer choice at children's parties and whenever the little munchkins sneak their fingers in your cookie jar.

Vegan baking is also the most compassionate choice. While this guide is not the place to go into the details, it is worth giving a brief explanation, especially since many people ask me the question “But what's wrong with eggs, if they are free-range?”

There is unfortunately no way to use animals and their secretions (like milk and eggs) without cruelty. With the egg industry, for example, the male chick is surplus to requirements (whether in a small-holding 'free-range' farm or a major producer), and yet for every female (layer hen) born, there will be a male that is deemed 'unnecessary'. They end up being suffocated or macerated to death in their billions, annually, with many taking a long time to die.

And when it comes to the dairy cow, she is made to give birth every year in order to maintain lactation, where she will undergo the trauma of having her baby removed (otherwise it would drink the milk meant for humans) and then be milked to exhaustion and illness for her entire life. She will still go to the same slaughterhouse as beef cows, which is a horrific experience, and then be turned into meat. She probably has to endure some of the worst cruelty that exists in the animal agriculture industry, and her male calves are sold for veal. The diary industry is a direct feeder into the veal industry.

And what about health reasons? There is probably an impression that vegan baking is healthy. Well, if it's low-fat and low-sugar, it quite possibly is. But this guide is really about learning how to do traditional baking in a vegan way. And flour, sugar, and fat – the basis of most baking - are not especially the healthiest of ingredients.

Though vegan baking is completely lacking cholesterol, since it is only found in animal produce. So, if cholesterol is a concern for you – welcome vegan baking with open arms! And depending on the fats you use, a lot of vegan baking may be lower in saturated fats and higher in the 'healthy' ones – but don't hold me to that statement.

As well – contrary to popular belief – vegan baking can be much cheaper than standard baking. Think about the cost of oil, compared to butter? Eggs, compared to a tablespoon of linseed (flaxseed)? You can bask in pink-frosting topped cupcake heaven without breaking the bank.

Not only that, as long as you have a few certain items in stock (vegan margarine or oil, long-life cartons of non-dairy milk, and maybe some linseed, or a jar of apple sauce), then you don't have to rely on items that go off quickly, such as eggs or milk. It makes it easier to rustle something up if your granny pops round unannounced, or if you can't be bothered going shopping.

And finally, if you learn how to 'do' vegan baking, it will also be suitable for, um, vegans (if you're not already vegan yourself). Which means if one gate-crashes your tea party, you don't have to worry about how to feed them. Vegan baking is inclusive, whereas standard baking is not.

Bonuses of vegan baking – a summary

It's better for animals, and for the environment.

It is cholesterol-free.

It can be less expensive.

It is often tastier.

It's inclusive.

It is good for people with dairy and egg allergies.

You can rely less on perishable ingredients.

You will turn you into super-skilled culinary goddess or god.

2. What's vegan in baking, and what isn't...

Before we delve further into the ins and outs of vegan baking, like with looking at how to replace eggs, let's just straighten a few things out.

There seems to be a lot of confusion around what is vegan, and what isn't. Basically, if it comes from an animal (and yes people, that means FISH! And goat's milk too!), including insects, then it is not vegan.

So - whichever animal they come from, eggs, butter, milk, cheese, yogurt and lard are not vegan. Neither is honey, which is a bee regurgitation, nor cochineal (a red beetle ground up to make food colouring), and shellac, used as a glaze, which is a resin secreted by the female lac bug.

Another thing to be aware of is that many cake toppers and decorations have egg albumen or milk in them, and should be avoided.

Gelatine, which is collagen from pig skin or cow bone, is commonly used to make fondant icing, and present in sweets like marshmallows or jellies (so many sweets and cakes that are commercially available are not even vegetarian, never mind vegan).

And cane sugar may not be vegan. This is because bone charcoal is sometimes used to bleach it, although this is less of a problem in the UK since ours is normally derived from beets. A couple of the main UK brands do label that their sugar as suitable for vegans, so just check.

Also, be aware that some icing (powdered) sugar brands contain egg white (Silver Spoon and Tate & Lyle state on their websites that theirs does), therefore is not suitable for vegans. However, powder sugar is super simple to make yourself – just whizz granulated sugar in a blender!

There are quite a few 'hidden' ingredients in things that come from animals and that are even hard for vegans to fathom out. It's one of the reasons I generally use food stuffs that do not have any additives, and am very wary about food colourings especially. If you aim to keep your baking as free from additives as possible, you should be okay.

Just in case you need to check something out though, there is a list produced by the Vegan Society which can be found here: Glossary of animal substances: a reference guide

3. Wot, no eggs?

Why did it ever come about that a hen's ovum got used in a cake in the first place?

I have no idea, especially when there are so many cheaper-to-use and just-as-effective options out there, as war-time housewives discovered when eggs were rationed and in short supply, and they used whatever they could lay their hands on.

In standard baking, the purpose of eggs is mainly to bind your recipe (as well as leaven, a little), acting as a substance which keeps your cake, muffin or whatever else you're making together, as well as helping to retain moisture and determine the crumb texture.

In vegan baking, there are many food stuffs that can be utilised, depending on the type of baked product that you want to make. These include mashed bananas, apple sauce, soya yogurt, silken tofu, ground flaxseed (linseed) mixed with water, and vegan buttermilk (soya milk mixed with apple cider vinegar).

While some of these may seem a little weird – think of it this way, what could be weirder than using something that just popped out of a chicken's fanny? (And whether you're thinking of this word in UK or US terms, both are correct! Because incidentally, a hen's 'egg canal' is the same opening she urinates and defecates from, called a cloaca. Hmm).

Anyhow, onto this strange new world of egg alternatives. How do you use them?

Well, flaxseed (or linseed, as more commonly known in the UK), can work very well. It adds a chewy sort of texture, so is especially good in muffins, breads and brownies. And if you have a local Indian supermarket, you'll find huge bags of linseed for the price of a half dozen eggs, which will last you months. Even 'splashing out' at health food retailers, you'll still be saving a packet.

Silken tofu works well for dense cakes and for when the flavour of the binder isn't required, whereas bananas are really great, but will strongly flavour your baking – hello banana bread. Apple sauce too is another good alternative, for most things that you might bake really. Use an unsweetened version, or adjust the sugar content of your recipe slightly too.

I like vanilla soya yogurt where I want to impart a bit extra vanillery flavour into what I'm making, and it gives a lovely moist texture too.

Rough guide to egg replacing:

If you're trying to 'veganise' a traditional recipe, then this guide can help in finding ways to

replace the eggs. However, before you make an attempt, on that great mysterious platform known as the internet (far more mysterious than vegan baking), there are thousands upon thousands of vegan alternatives for almost anything you could think of to bake – so it may be easier to just search for an already tried and tested vegan recipe, rather than adapt your own.

Per one egg, try the following (keeping your final recipe in mind as to what is suitable!):

• 3-4 tbsp (¼ cup) soya yogurt, blended silken tofu, mashed banana or apple sauce. • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed/linseed (grind in the blender then store in freezer) mixed

with 3 tbsp of water (left a few minutes to go gloopy). • 50ml white sauce• 1 tbsp chickpea (gram flour) mixed with 1 tbsp water

* You may find also find a little more liquid is needed in a recipe, to make up the moisture content.

I heard very recently that some instant mashed potato or custard powder (Bird's Custard Powder is vegan!) mixed with water can work too – I haven't tried these yet though.

Whatever you end up trying out, as Kris Holecheck says in her book 'The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes';

“There are many binding options to explore. Once you start playing around and reaping the rewards of experimentation you realize that these aren't egg replacers, because the eggs never belonged there in the first place!”

4. Swapping all the rest – fats, milks and sweeteners

Once you've got your head around losing the eggs, the rest is fairly easy.

Chewing the fat

You've probably already been cooking up recipes that contain oil rather than butter. And in baking, you generally use oils that can withstand high temperatures and are light in colour and taste, like rapeseed (canola) oil. 'Crisp 'n' Dry' is rapeseed oil, and very easy to get hold of (I mean, even my local B&M stocks it!).

I'm also extremely fond of melted coconut oil in sweet baking, when I don't mind a hint of coconut flavour. The bonus of this oil too is that is doesn't change into a nasty substance at high temperatures, and from what I've read about it, it's also a very healthy oil (if using the raw, organic type).

It is a more specialist oil and you will likely need to order online (see the end of this book for suppliers) unless you have a great health food shop nearby, but it is worth getting some in, for cupcakes especially. It's also great spread on thick, crusty toast in the morning, in place of butter or margarine.

If a recipe calls for a solid fat – butter or margarine - then doing a direct interchange (same quantities) with a dairy-free margarine works fine. Although some supermarkets have their own brands, the two well-known vegan brands on sale almost everywhere are Vitalite and Pure (Soya and Sunflower versions).

Also, for vegetable shortening, which is often used to make frosting for cakes and cupcakes, Trex is a well-known brand.

If the only vegan alternative in your cupboard is oil, and the recipe wants a solid fat like margarine, then you can try and use ⅓ cup of oil to ½ cup butter/margarine. However, this is best for quick breads and cakes, not biscuits, and to be honest, results can be extremely varied.

If a recipe clearly has butter in it for taste, rather than just serve its fat role (like butter shortbread) definitely use vegan margarine, not oil.

Leave the cow alone!

When it comes to milk, it's easy peasy to replace dairy milk. Just use plain, unsweetened soya instead, or other unsweetened non-dairy milks (unless you can get away with a sweet version in a recipe and reduce the sugar slightly).

I have moved towards using organic soya milk brands. There is a lot of bad press about soya, but from what I gather, the health concerns are related to the non-organic, genetically-modified kinds (which, incidentally, is the main food stuff for farmed animals that become meat. So when meat-eaters tell me that soya is bad, I tell them they're likely a big consumer of it themselves, in the meat they eat).

If you're not convinced on soya, or have an allergy to it, then as I say, other non-dairy milks also work well, depending on the recipe (if it's sweet or not, for example). Rice milk, unsweetened almond milk, and coconut milk (like the Kara brand, rather than the tinned form) can be good choices.

Tesco 'Free From' range is pretty damn good now for its selection of non-dairy milks (and as a side note, their hazelnut milk is perfect to make hazelnut lattes with!), but most standard supermarkets have a few in their long-life milk sections, or sometimes in the fresh range.

However, I sway towards the long-life cartons of non-dairy milks – they are good to buy in and keep stored, so you have something at hand.

If you need a buttermilk replacement, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar per 250ml of soya milk, and leave to curdle for a few minutes.

Do you need to sweeten up?

As we established, because it is a bee regurgitation, honey is not vegan. And sugar may not be either, depending on how it has been processed. Many vegan baking recipes that call for sugar of the ordinary kind will be expecting you to check it is vegan.

Where a liquid sweetener is used, or honey (if you are adapting a traditional recipe), there are many wonderful alternatives, such as maple syrup, agave nectar, or good, old-fashioned golden syrup, treacle or molasses.

Some of these are less easy to find – but maple syrup I know is even in Aldi. Golden syrup can be bought everywhere and is not expensive.

My favourite honey-replacer is brown rice syrup – it's just such gorgeous, sticky goo, and very 'honey-like', but it is also pretty expensive (as is agave – which comes from a cactus plant), and I buy it online.

I recently discovered date syrup too, though it has a strong flavour and is dark in colour, but is good for things like flapjacks and sweet breads.

As a beginner vegan baker – I would stick to swapping honey for another liquid sugar, and sticking to a granulated or dry sugar if that's the one being used. Trying to swap liquid for dry and vice versa can be a tricky business.

5. A few insider tips...

Knowledge is power when it comes to baking! If, whatever you do, your cakes always sink – here are a few general tips to try and help you out.

• Pre-heat the oven. I used to not bother, and then I found out it makes a world of difference. Turn the oven on as soon as you start making the recipe up – sometimes it may take around 20 minutes to get to the right temperature, depending on how good your oven is.

• I don't have one currently because my oven is shiny brand new, but I've heard these things called 'oven thermometers' help a great deal for making sure your oven is exactly the right temperature before your batter or dough goes in.

• If you want super, cascading muffin tops like you see in bakeries, then make sure your oven is HOT when you put your muffin tin in, no matter what the recipes says. This means around 200 Celsius (gas mark 6, 400 Fahrenheit). You may need to bake for less time, though.

• If you want nice, even cupcake tops (for decorating, so not spilling over like muffins), then lower the temperature, no matter what the recipe says. So around 170 Celsius instead (gas mark 3, 325 Fahrenheit) - this tip I learned very recently from the lovely Jenny from Cottage Cupcake Co. And you may have to leave them in a little longer.

• If you are baking goods that are meant to rise, whatever you do, don't open the oven until near the end of cooking. Don't be tempted to peak until you can smell the wonderful aroma of those delicious cakes. Then be as nimble as possible in poking your skewer in to check whether it comes out clean.

• Dark baking sheets can turn the bottom of your baked goodies brown or burnt looking. So for underneaths the same colour as the rest of your baking, such as with biscuits, use greaseproof (parchment) paper to place on the tray.

6. Recipes & resources

Firstly – though the recipes I'm including here don't need you to buy anything unusual, if you do want to explore vegan baking in-depth then you may want to get in stock some extra ingredients.

So where to buy some of those things I've mentioned like coconut oil and brown rice syrup?

My first stop for online ordering is always Real Foods – they don't require you to buy that much to qualify for free delivery (approx £15 I think) and their prices are extremely reasonable. And they are an ethical store I like to support.

http://www.realfoods.co.uk/

Alternative Stores is another online one-stop shop for many vegan products.

Otherwise, general health food shops like Holland & Barrett, which can be found in many main towns, are often quite handy.

And don't forget, many supermarkets now have increased ranges of more 'unusual' products – and while I'm not a great lover of Tesco on an ethical basis, for beginners their 'Free From' range is excellent to check out, especially for non-dairy milks and vegan cream cheese.

Read on for a couple of my recipes, and then find some links to others that I have personally enjoyed on the web.

Just an apology – I tend to use American measuring cups nowadays as they are so easy, and while some recipes I remember to convert and try out in UK volume measurements as I go along, others I forget to do! So you will find a bit of a mixture here!

And I cannot guarantee the volume measurements work as well – my suggestion is to invest in some measuring cups, which can easily be bought from places like Amazon for around £3-4!

Orange Marmalade Tea MuffinsMakes 9 muffins

1¼ cups plain white flour¼ cup ground almonds/almond flour1/3 cup sugar1/3 cup rapeseed (canola) oil1 tsp baking soda1 ½ tsp baking powder¼ tsp saltZest & juice of one large orange(Tip: shave the zest off the orange before juicing it!)¼ cup orange marmalade1 tsp vanilla extract

To glaze:3 tbsp marmalade1 tsp vodka or white rum (or water is fine)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit / 190 Celsius / Gas mark 5. Prepare a muffin pan with bun cases.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the oil, orange juice, marmalade and vanilla extract together then put aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and almond flour together. Stir in the orange zest.

4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet, stirring in as your pour. Give the batter a good stir to make sure all of the wet and dry ingredients are thoroughly mingled.

5. With a spoon, divide the batter into the bun cases. Put in the over for about 30 minutes, until a tooth pick comes out clean and the muffins have risen with a golden top.

6. Leave the muffins to cool on a rack for about 20-30 minutes.

7. To make the glaze once the muffins are cool, slowly melt the marmalade with the vodka (or white rum or water) mixed into it in a small saucepan (you can also melt the marmalade glaze in a microwave for about 15-20 seconds if you prefer).

8. When it is runny, brush the glaze over the tops of the buns (which should by now have a slightly crispy top). Allow to set for about 10 minutes, then serve with a nice cup of tea!

Vegan Traditional 'Buttermilk' SconesMakes 12 scones

3 cups/400g plain flour½ cup/100g caster sugar¾ cup/200g vegan margerine (I used Pure Sunflower)1 cup/250ml unsweetened soya milk1½ tsp apple cider vinegar½ tsp baking powder½ tsp baking soda½ tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 220 C / gas mark 7 / 425 F and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

2. Pour the soya milk into a jug and mix in the apple cider vinegar. Whisk with a fork and leave to one side to curdle.

3. Sift the flour and other dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

4. Take the margerine from the fridge (leave there to stay cool until ready) and then cut it into the dry mix. Once the largest pieces have been cut down, get into the bowl with your fingers (clean ones, of course!) to crumb the mixture.

5. When the flour mixture is finely crumbed, stir in the curdled soya milk and mix well.

6. Once the dough is formed, tip out onto a floured surface. If it's too sticky or wet, add more flour into it first and knead in with your hands.

7. Divide the dough in half, then half the pieces again until you have four. Then divide each piece into three, so you have twelve scones altogether.

8. Place the scones on the tray, and bake in the over for about 12 minutes until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack.

9. When cooled, serve with jam and vegan butter or vegan cream.

Figgy Walnut Banana BreadMakes 2 loaves

NB. Banana breads also seem to work well with commercial gluten-free flours, so feel free to experiment in this recipe with a gluten-free version!

2½ cups / 340g plain flour4 medium ripe bananas, mashed½ cup / 75g walnut pieces6 dried figs, chopped small¾ cup / 150g brown sugar2/3 cup / 125ml soya milk2/3 cup / 125 ml rapeseed oil3 tsp baking powder (check if gluten free if needed)1 tsp baking soda / bicarbonate of soda½ tsp cinnamon½ tsp salt

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit / 180 Celsius / Gas mark 4. Lightly grease two 1lb loaf tins with oil.

2. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl, then mix in the walnuts and cinnamon.

3. In a larger mixing bowl, whisk the oil and sugar together with a fork then combine the mashed banana, milk and chopped fig pieces.

4. Add your dry ingredients to your wet batter and stir together until combined, but don't over-stir.

5. Pour into the two loaf tins, and bake for around 45 minutes, until the loaves are risen and browned on the top. Use a skewer to check it comes out clean before removing from oven.

6. Leave to cool in the tins for around half an hour before using a butter knife to loosen the loaves around the sides of the pan, and then gently turning onto a cooling rack.

7. The bread is delicious served warm with vegan margarine or on its own, and can be stored for a few days in an airtight container or wrapped in foil (or can be frozen).

Vegan books and recipes worth knowing about...

I wish I could claim the credit for these wonderful recipes and websites, but I can't.

However, I thought I would point out some fabulous tried and tested vegan baking experiences, in the hope you will enjoy them as much as me. And I make no apologies for the majority of these coming from PPK!

Pear Frangipane Tart – a gluten free treat!Press-in Almond Crust – great gluten-free base for tarts, cheesecakes etcNo Frills Banana Bread – I have tried this recipe with gluten free flour, and it works!Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Crunch Topping – die and go to heaven!Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes – tuck this recipe under your beltVanilla Sponge Cake – the Vegan's Society's answer to egg-free Victoria SpongeLemon Drop Cookies – light and citrusy, from Nom Nom Nom BlogFlaky Pie Crust – a good all-rounder & my standard 'go to' recipe for savoury pies

General:Egg-free Cake Recipes – a great list of recipes from the Vegan Society, incl gluten free

Recommended books:

Vegan Pie in the Sky - Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope RomeroVegan Cupcakes take Over the World - Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes - Kris Holecheck

And finally, Ann Gentry's book Vegan Family Meals: Real Food for Everyone is not an exclusive baking book, with recipes for all occasions, but it has the two best gluten-free cupcakes recipes in it that I have discovered.

So there we go! I really hope you enjoyed reading this guide and that it has come in useful for you. If you'd like to offer me some feedback, I would love you to contact me.

Otherwise – I hope you enjoy baking in a vegan stylee!

Andrea WrenChocolate and Beyond

Copyright 2012 © Andrea Wren