"substitute" news and stories

Some folks just don't dig eggs. I'm one and I know there are plenty of us out there. I love chicken ( I doubt they love me) but the thought of eating their eggs makes me ill. I have cooked and baked with thousands of eggs because I was being paid. Paging Dr. Freud.

• Try arrowroot. Known for its easily digestible starch, it can be used to replace eggs in small batch recipes (4 or fewer servings). 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg

• Then there is always cornstarch: 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg.

• Potato starch is good, too: again, 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg.

• 1 heaping Tablespoon soy powder= 1 egg

These four substitutes are meant for use in baking. I have had good results using arrowroot and potato starch in German Potato Salad...but I wouldn't push it any further. When it comes to sauces and dressings, lump it or leave it.

If you can handle egg whites, try 1 tablespoon powdered milk and 2 or 3 whites. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring to make it look real. This would be for smaller, personal and experimental recipes like white omelets or glazes. Don't bother with meringues. If you have to make a pound cake or hollandaise, well, you probably don't have an egg issue. So crack 'em up and enjoy.

Source

Yesterday, I talked about the Cook's Illustrated review of egg white substitutes, which concluded that you are best off working with real, fresh egg whites. The pre-packed, pasteurized egg white substitutes didn't hold up when whipped as well as the real thing. There is one more type of egg white substitute that is known for its ability to whip up, though: meringue powder.

Meringue powder is a mixture of dried, powdered egg whites, cornstarch and gums, which help if bind together. Some powders include sugar, but the majority do not. When mixed with sugar and water, meringue powdered can be reconstituted and beaten to soft or stiff peaks. It can be used to make royal icing, baked meringues, and even angel food cakes, which I have tried with good success. It can not be substituted for egg whites in other recipes, though, only in recipes which call for beaten egg whites. Meringue powders, other than being used for frosting, are best used in recipes where the egg whites would have been uncooked, like in some mousses and sorbets. Keep in mind that meringue powder can have a sort of starchy aftertaste from the cornstarch, so don't reduce the amount of sugar or other flavorings in the recipe you're using unless you want to add another flavor to your dessert.