CREATE VEGAN VERSIONS OF CLASSIC DESSERTS
The development and research into vegan pastry substitutes has made tremendous progress, and it is now possible to adapt most of the classic, favourite dessert recipes into a vegan version.
The last issue concerns a category of desserts where eggs or egg yolks are the main ingredients: eclairs, profiteroles, tiramisu, crème brulé, etc. The results are still not satisfying.
Many people want to convert a non-vegan dessert directly into a vegan one, but why not explore the richness of a plant-based pastry, discover some new flavours (for example, poppy, and angelica), and the surprising combinations in herbal teas (nettle and blackcurrant are my favourites)?
The quality of the dairy free products is now so good, the challenge might be to taste the difference between vegan and non-vegan desserts!
In addition, free from products are generally associated with respect for the environment, the search for “noble” products, and therefore are often of superior quality to the traditional market.
So, how can you use the main vegan substitutes in Pastry? Here is my list of the top three most common ingredients:
Milk
All the dairy products now have their equivalent in a non-dairy version: milk, plant-based cream, cream cheese, vegan blocks, yoghurt. Vegan blocks (“butter” substitute) are recommended, rather than the vegan spreads, as they endure a firmer consistency, especially for the pastries.
Eggs Whites
Egg whites are replaced by “aquafaba”, the water of a chickpea can. To work properly, the aquafaba has to be reduced of about 40%. Simply pop the liquid in a pan and let it simmer on medium heat until it has reduced. For example, if your initial weight is 160g, you will reduce to about 100g. You now have ready-to-use aquafaba. “OGGS”, available in the supermarkets, also works very well.
The best egg white substitute, especially for the professionals is potato protein, available online. You put 4g of powder in 100ml water, give it a whisk to dissolve, and it is ready to use. The meringue will be much firmer and stable.
Whole Egg (when white and yolk are needed)
There are a number of alternatives, depending on the recipe.
Flax seeds and chia seeds
Use 1 Tbsp of ground flax seeds or chia seeds + 3 Tbsp of water to replace 1 egg.
Stir together and let it set until the mix thickens, about 15 mins. Works perfectly for sponges and cake batters. Can be kept in the fridge or freezer.
Mashed fruits
Mashed bananas give a fruity taste to your sponges. Count ½ banana for 1 egg.
Mashed avocado, unlike the bananas, is flavourless and will give a smooth texture to your mousses. 1 Tbsp mashed avocado will replace 1 egg.
Silken tofu
Adds moisture to a recipe, ideal for mousses and cremes brulées. It has to be drained first and then pureed before you use it in order to avoid chunks in the final product. About 60g drained silken tofu replaces 1 egg.
Cornflour, potato starch or cashew butter
Work as a binder for creams.
Gelatine
Finally, we shouldn’t close this list without mentioning the importance of “agar-agar” – this is a vegan thickener/gelatine for pastry. It is flavourless and comes from seaweed and is now easily available in the supermarkets. The powder version is recommended, rather the flakes. It needs to be dissolved in a liquid and brought to the boil. The average amount is 1tsp for 250ml liquid. It sets at room temperature, a big advantage compared to the classical animal-based gelatine.
You can find an exhaustive list of vegan substitutes in my cookbook “Vegans deserve better than a fruit salad”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Danielle Maupertuis is a Vegan Executive Pastry Chef. Her cookbook is called “Vegans deserve better than a fruit salad” and she runs a series of vegan party courses. For more information see: freefromdesserts.com