Converting old recipes to vegan friendly ones

[rach71]

I am seriously contemplating starting a vegan catering company-specifically desserts. It's probably in my blood since my grandparents/great-grandparents etc. all did this, but I am having a problem with substitutions. A lot of recipes I have are old school-butter, lard, eggs, milk, whipping cream, etc. I have certain recipes like chocolate chip cookies that I have been making for years using a powder egg replacer and soy milk and vegan butter that taste amazing, but I'm having problems with replacing other items on cakes/pies, etc. that I don't often (or ever until now) make.

I was wondering what specific experiences people have with replacing items such as eggs, milk, 'lard', whipped cream etc. in their recipes. I've read through the generic egg replacer threads, and I know people say for certain types of food, replace eggs with tofu, banana, etc., but I'm wondering what people have actually personally tried and found successful (eg. fluffy chocolate cake-used tofu, soy milk, vegan butter or margarine, whatever for whipped topping, etc.

One more thing-anyone have experience with boiling soy milk, egg replacer, etc. for puddings or toppings? That's also called for and I've never done that for baking.

Thanks!

[Risker]

The two main ones I've tried were using banana instead of eggs in pancakes which I can't say I really enjoyed and I also tried following the recipe for mayonnaise off the back of a packet of noegg, it was pretty unpleasant, very powdery in texture.

If you could give specific foods and even better the recipe you're using I think you'd get some really good suggestions.

[Tigerlily]

I don't know if soy milk will boil. I once heated soy milk up on the stove and it burned--and it wasn't even boiling.

[rach71]

One example would be whipped toppings that call for whipping cream (and whatever flavour I chose to make of it). I have no idea what I could substitute for the cream that would be of the same texture, so I don't know if someone has found something that works.

I also have a whipped cream cake that calls for eggs, vanilla, flour, sugar, a few other vegan items and whipping cream.
Step 1: Beat the cream so it is stiff - so, if anyone has a vegan alternative to cream that would turn stiff with beating?

Other than that, I've got lots of ideas and recipes but way too many to list, so if anyone has a good experience with a basic pastry, like a regular cake with flour, egg replacer, soy milk, sugar, etc and has found that certain ingredients have worked well, I'd love to hear about it. Most recipes seem to have pretty much the same base ingredients, with extras added for a uniqueness. I am more interested in the base ingredients and the resulting texture and taste that people have found success with.

[rach71]

I don't know if soy milk will boil. I once heated soy milk up on the stove and it burned--and it wasn't even boiling.

That's what I'm worried about . I may not be able to use those recipes then because obviously real milk is NOT an option.

[Aylish]

I've used Earth's Balance, a butter substitute, with success every time. Tofutti, or whatever, makes a cream cheez that bakes like dairy cream cheese.

I have also found that almond milk is better in sweets recipes and natural soy in savory. Veg shortening can replace lard.

I have come to the realization that certain recipes just don't translate. Those reliant or heavy on eggs and dairy just don't taste right, such as soufle (?) and non-flavored creme brulee. Pavlovas are a thing of the past. Good luck.

[Jane M]

I did find this recipe for vegan creme brulee on another site but haven't tried it yet.
Vegan Creme Brulee
I found the recipe!

* 1lb silken tofu
*4 tablespoons vanilla vegan soymilk
* 3/4 cup vegan sugar plus 2 tablespoons sugar put aside
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* dash of salt

* Preheat oven to 350F
* Press tofu until a little, not a lot, of water leaches out
* Place tofu and all other ingredients (except for reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar) into a blender and blend until a smooth, creamy texture is created. It should be the consistency of a thin pudding.
* Pour into custard cups or a pie plate and bake in a water bath until the tofu mixture browns a little and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean
*Remove mixture from water bath and sprinkle reserved sugar on top. Place under a hot broiler untiil the sugar melts and turns caramel colored.
*Allow sugar to harden
*Serve warm or refrigerate.

I think a lot of times you really have to think out side of the box when it comes to substituting. Also,I read a lot of vegan recipe books to get ideas and find out how other cooks deal with substitutions.

[Jane M]

Found these...don't know if they will work in that cake...have no idea what it is

Vegan whipped cream

Total servings: 4
Ingredients

250 ml Soya Cuisine (Alpro)</B>100 ml soy milk1 packet (5gr) agar-agar10 g arrowroot Directions

Mix the soy milk and agar and heat. Boil for 2 minutes and bind with the dissolved arrowroot. Remove from heat an add the sojacuisine and ahorn syrup.

Let it cool down and blend until smooth and creamy.

Better than Whipped Cream

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

• 3/4 cup Silk soymilk - vanilla
• 1/4 + 1/8 cup Better Than Milk soy powder - vanilla
• 1 tablespoon rice syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
Blend together milk and milk powder. Let stand 5 min. to fully dissolve. Then blend in sweetener and extracts. On high speed, slowly drizzle oil into mixture. Continue slowly adding lemon juice. Refridgerate. This will continue to thicken in fridge and will be thick, creamy, and delicious.
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 10 min

Soy Whipped Cream

Condiments - Dairy


INGREDIENTS

• • 1/4 cup soy milk
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 t maple syrup
  • 1/2 t vanilla extract

METHOD
Place soy milk and 1/4 cup oil in blender. Blend at highest speed and slowly drizzle in remaining 1/4 cup oil. Blend in syrup and vanilla, add a little more oil if necessary to thicken. There will be enough to top 1 pie!

NOTES
Note: recipe does not work well on damp rainy days!

Whipped Cream (Version 3)

Condiments - Dairy


INGREDIENTS

• • 1 package firm silken tofu
  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar or Sucanat
  • 2 T rice or soy milk
  • Vanilla extract to taste (I use 2 T)

METHOD Blend all the above together, and chill for at least one hour. Serves: 4


NOTES This goes well as a garnish for pies, fruit, whatever. You can also freeze it to make vanilla ice cream.

I have no idea if these can be cooked

[rach71]

Thanks so much Jane. I think I'll try 1 or 2 of them tomorrow since I have most of the ingredients already.

[cedarblue]

could you try the creme brulee please rach and let us know how it turns out??

i used to luuuurve creme brulee..

[rach71]

Sure cedarblue-couldn't do it today though. I'll try it soon and let you know how it is.

[Jane M]

Couldn't resist posting this too. It's a vegan angel food cake recipe! Crazy huh? The site I got it from said she had never tried it and so didn't know how it would work out...may try it anyway. Ummm is castor sugar the super fine stuff or is it the powdered stuff?

Angel Food Cake

Cakes - Plain


INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces / 1 cup self-raising flour
• 2 ounces / 4 tablespoons cornflour
• Pinch of salt
• 8 ounces / 1 cup soft brown castor sugar
• 1 x 200 gram / 7 ounce block of tofu
• 8 fluid ounces / 1 cup soy milk
• 2 heaped tablespoons chickpea flour
• 4 fluid ounces / 1/2 cup oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD
Place the tofu, sugar, gram flour, oil, vanilla and lemon juice into a blender and blend well. Add the soya milk gradually.
Transfer to a large bowl and fold in the flour.
Spoon into a greased 9 inch / 23 centimeter cake tin (the sort with a detachable bases and loosenable side is best) and bake for 45 mins at gas mark 4 / 180C / 350F until golden and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin.

[Cherry]

Hi Jane

Caster sugar is 0.35mm In other words, it's not powdered, it's just quite fine. Icing sugar is powdered sugar. I wish everyone used the same words for sugar, it gets so confusing.

[piggy]

castor sugar is very fine sugar, but not powdered

[Cairidh]

I always use soyacreme to replace eggs in cakes....and the cakes are nicer than they were with eggs

I met someone else who used soya milk mixed with corn flour which is sort of the same thing...

[GoodbyeGirl]

read this book The Accidental Vegan. it's a cookbook written by a woman who is doing the exact same thing that you want to do. she had a catering company and started receiving more and more requests for healthy cuisine from her customers and ended up turning her business into a vegan catering company because the demand was so great. i'm sure that if you read the book you can find out how she converted her recipes and use the same methods on your own recipes.