Egg Substitute in Baking

Getting an egg substitute in baking is a great way for vegetarians to make recipes that require the use of eggs in their preparation. Whether you're baking cakes, cookies, brownies or anything that has eggs as an ingredient, using an egg substitute in cooking is ideal for people who do not wish to have eggs as a part of the recipe.

There are plenty of reasons why people would not like to have eggs in their recipes, and hence would feel the necessity of an egg substitute in baking. Apart from being vegetarian, some people may be allergic to eggs. In some other cases it may not be possible for someone to procure eggs from the market, and in some cases the carton of eggs may be over, thus necessitating the use of some egg substitute in baking.

Here are some commonly found ingredients that you can utilize as an egg substitute in cake, an egg substitute for cookies, an egg substitute for brownies or even an egg substitute for pancakes.

Tofu
Many people consider tofu to be the best egg substitute for baking. Silken tofu or crumbled tofu is very similar in texture to a boiled egg or a cooked egg, and it has a surprisingly similar taste to eggs as well. By adding a touch of turmeric, mustard or nutritional yeast you can even make the tofu resemble eggs in appearance. Silken tofu is a great egg substitute in baking certain dishes. Since it produces a slightly heavier effect than eggs, it is not recommended to use tofu as an egg substitute in cake. Alternately, tofu serves as an excellent egg substitute for brownies and an egg substitute for pancakes.

Commercial Egg Replacer
An alternative egg substitute in cooking is a commercial egg replacer like Ener-G. This ingredient is extremely versatile and is commonly and widely available in almost every health store and grocery store. As compared to tofu, commercial egg replacers are flavorless, and as a result serve as a good egg substitute for cookies and cakes.

Applesauce and Bananas
Smashing and blending one or more bananas, or about a quarter cup of applesauce, serves as a splendid egg substitute in baking. These ingredients help in adding the right amount of thick moisture as eggs do, but they fail to make the dish look fluffy and light. If you wish to make your dish rise out a little, you will also have to include baking powder or baking soda in the recipe.

Other Substitutes
There are some other miscellaneous items also that you can use as an egg substitute in baking. A portion of vinegar mixed with water also serves as a good alternative, and sometimes even soda works as a satisfactory egg replacer. Using a few tablespoons of bread crumbs or oats is another option that you can explore.

These were a few of the most commonly used egg replacers. There are other egg substitutes that you can find for yourself as well, depending on what dish you wish to prepare and what your other ingredients for that dish are. Read these following tips to keep in mind when you are choosing an egg substitute in baking.

• Use a suitable egg replacer depending on the number of eggs, the original recipe requires. A recipe requiring a large number of eggs may require a different egg replacer.
• Do not attempt to make recipes that require a lot of eggs, using an egg replacer. This can drastically alter the predicted taste as well as the appearance of the dish.
• Whenever you are using tofu as an egg substitute, make it a point to puree it before using. If you fail to do so you will end up with chunks of tofu.
• Any recipe that requires eggs in a liquid form, cannot be completed with a powdered egg replacer. In such cases, only tofu must be used, and plain tofu, not seasoned or baked tofu, must be used.

It is a generally accepted rule of thumb, that the fewer eggs a certain recipe requires, the easier it will be to use an egg substitute in baking. But be warned, that at the end of the day, an egg replacer is merely a substitute for eggs. It cannot replicate the taste, texture and appearance that an egg would provide. There are bound to be a few differences here and there, as far as these three factors are concerned.