How to replace the egg in the kitchen

There are several reasons to search egg substitutes. People allergic to its proteins should avoid it and those with high cholesterol should consume it in moderation.

But the most common reason for giving up this food is respect for animal life. Laying hens live locked up in cages and are slaughtered at two years of age when they could live up to 15.

8 vegetable alternatives to eggs

The egg is a food with unique qualities in the kitchen. When heated, the protein expands and coagulates, giving volume to the preparations. However, with the right mixtures of other ingredients, similar results can be achieved in terms of textures, appearances and flavors.

Therefore, cooking without eggs does not have to be a problem, even if too many recipes include them. Here are some quick fixes depending on what you want to achieve. Choose the best option according to your case:

To give volume: replace 25% of the liquid in the recipe with sparkling water (be careful with the salt content!). To confer lightness: add half a teaspoon of baking soda when using fruit to replace the egg. It will make the result less dense. To bind ingredients: resort to tomato paste, potato starch and pumpkin or other fruit purees. To give fluffiness: add baking soda, baking powder, vinegar, lemon or orange juice.

Below are also proposed various preparations that may be interesting for reduce calories in recipes (a single egg provides about 70) and add a variety of flavors and nutrients to the usual menus.

1. Mix vinegar and baking soda

Mixing an acidic ingredient like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice with equal parts baking soda releases carbon dioxide bubbles that help leaven and to make lighter muffins, biscuits and tarts.

2. Flax seeds with water

when some are left ground flax seeds in water, the fiber is transformed into a gelatin capable of amalgamating all the ingredients of a recipe, in the same way as the egg does, also giving it a juicy texture.

To replace each egg, mix one tablespoon of flax seeds and three tablespoons of water with a blender. Wait half an hour until the mixture acquires a gelatinous texture and add a pinch of bicarbonate. It will be ready to use in cookies, pancakes, crepes and tarts that do not contain fruit.

3. Ripe banana

Half a mashed banana equals one egg and serves to bind the ingredients of a recipe and give juiciness to the result. It is a good option when it does not matter that the flavor of the banana is appreciated, as in cakes and biscuits.

4. Applesauce

Offers less flavor than banana and more juiciness. If this solution is used, the amount of fat indicated in the recipe can be slightly reduced, thus obtaining a lighter result. You have to use a compote without sugar and the recommended amount is 60 grams for each egg, which will add 45 calories.

It is a good choice for moist cakes.

5. Silken Tofu

It is the least firm tofu, which can beat until it is like a cream. 60g per egg are used in puddings, quiches, custards, mousses, pie or cheesecake fillings and the like which will be pleasantly thick and creamy.

6. Kuzu, arrowroot or cornstarch

These flours can be dissolve in water (two tablespoons for each one of flour to obtain an amount equivalent to one egg) and heat until the mixture thickens. Then it is combined with the rest of the ingredients in the preparation of custards and other desserts.

7. Soy milk

can be used for shine to brioches, cakes or empanadas. Just paint the surfaces before baking. A large spoonful of soy yogurt can also be used as a substitute in preparations such as cupcakes and muffins.

8. Agar agar

With this seaweed, which is marketed in the form of powder, flakes or sheets, a clear jelly which is mixed with warm water (at a rate of three tablespoons for each one of gelatin) to obtain an egg white substitute.

You just have to add it to the rest of the ingredients of the dough in the making cakes and the likewhich will be enriched with iodine, calcium and iron.

Vanilla sponge cake recipe

In this example of an egg-free recipe, ideal to start practicing, tofu, soy milk, arrowroot and bicarbonate are used to achieve the fluffy consistency that eggs usually give to the cake:

Ingredients:

120 ml vanilla flavored soy yogurt 120 ml silken tofu 180 ml soy milk 250 ml sugar 120 ml sunflower oil 10 ml vanilla essence 450 ml whole wheat flour 45 ml arrowroot powder 1, 5 teaspoons of chemical yeast half a teaspoon of baking soda half a teaspoon of salt half a teaspoon of lemon zest and another orange zest

Preparation:

Mix the yogurt, tofu, soy milk, sugar, oil, zest and vanilla essence in a bowl, and beat with the rods for two minutes until you get a light dough. Add the sifted flour, arrowroot, yeast, baking soda and salt to the mixture. Mix everything with a silicone spatula and then beat with the rods until a thick dough is formed. Pour the dough into the mold and place it in the oven at 165 °C, until the toothpick when inserted comes out clean.