Christine's Baking Tips
Tip #1: Earth Balance Margarine is a key ingredient in my vegan cookies. It has the same amount of fat as butter but it's much healthier for you. Earth Balance Margarine can be found at the health food isle of any regular grocery store.
Tip #3: Soymilk: I love to use plain soymilk in my cakes and cookies. My favorite brand is Soy Dream. It is organic, enriched with vitamins and minerals, high in fiber, has a great taste, and a creamy texture. It can be purchased in the health food isle of any regular grocery store.
March
21, 2010 | 
Author: Dr.
Christine Dickson
Author: Dr.
Christine Dickson
Tip #1: Earth Balance Margarine is a key ingredient in my vegan cookies. It has the same amount of fat as butter but it's much healthier for you. Earth Balance Margarine can be found at the health food isle of any regular grocery store.
Tip #2:
Expeller Pressed Canola Oil is a key ingredient in my vegan cakes and
sweet breads. It makes my cakes moist and flavorful. Expeller pressed
canola oil has a mild flavor and is low in saturated fat. I love
Spectrum brand canola oil. It can be purchased organic and seems to
have a richer flavor and texture than other brands of canola oil.
Tip #3: Soymilk: I love to use plain soymilk in my cakes and cookies. My favorite brand is Soy Dream. It is organic, enriched with vitamins and minerals, high in fiber, has a great taste, and a creamy texture. It can be purchased in the health food isle of any regular grocery store.
Tip #4:
No White Sugar: White sugar is bleached with chemicals and most brands
are processed using animal bones! I only use Evaporated Cane
Juice Sugar in my desserts. I love Wholesome brand sweeteners. All
products are organic and are also available in Brown Sugar and
Powdered Sugar.
Tip #5: Bread
Flour: I love to use bread flour in my baking. It gives my desserts a
very soft texture plus the extra gluten helps with binding. Bread flour
can be found at any regular grocery store but I prefer King Arthur
Organic Bread Flour which can be found at Whole Foods Market.
Tip #6: Replacing Eggs in Cakes: For cakes, I like to use a 1/4 cup of
fruit sauces like apple, berry, or apricot-apple plus 1 teaspoon of
EnerG Egg Replacer Powder to replace 1 egg in a recipe. Replacing Eggs in Cookies & Brownies:
In my Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Brownies I use
3 Tablespoons of Tofutti Cream Cheese plus 1 teaspoon of EnerG Egg
Replacer Powder to replace 1 egg.
Tip #7:
Most vegan cake recipes call for vinegar, which is used as an acid that
activates the leaving agents in the recipe. I never use vinegar and
instead use juice or coffee. In regular cakes, juice gives the cake an
added dimension. Try Apricot Nectar or Orange Mango Juice from Santa
Cruz Organics.
7 Steps for Veganizing a Recipe
Step 1: Conduct a google search for an award winning recipe. I always start out searching for the best traditional recipe I can find. For example, say you want to make a lemon cake. Google "award winning lemon cake recipes," and see what you find. You can also google "best ever" or "world's best."
Step 2: Pick the "award winning" recipe or the "world's best" recipe that has the least amount of eggs. No more than 1 or 2 eggs in the recipe.
Step 3: Go to Tip #6 on Replacing Eggs to determine which strategy to use.
Step 4: If it is a cake or muffin recipe, use canola oil to replace the fat. If it is a cookie, use earth balance margarine to replace the fat.
Step 5: Make sure to half or quarter the recipe. Never start out trying to veganize an entire recipe! Consider this an experiment, not the final product.
Step 6: Mix by Hand. I never use mixers or hand mixers in my baking. Every time I've used a mixer, my vegan desserts have come out dry and hard. Mixing by hand is the way to go!
Step 7: If you really want to create a great vegan dessert and you aren't afraid put time into the project, use non-vegans to taste-test your vegan creation. They will tell you right away if it tastes right or not.
7 Steps for Veganizing a Recipe
March
21, 2010 | Author: Dr.
Christine Dickson
Author: Dr.
Christine Dickson
Step 1: Conduct a google search for an award winning recipe. I always start out searching for the best traditional recipe I can find. For example, say you want to make a lemon cake. Google "award winning lemon cake recipes," and see what you find. You can also google "best ever" or "world's best."
Step 2: Pick the "award winning" recipe or the "world's best" recipe that has the least amount of eggs. No more than 1 or 2 eggs in the recipe.
Step 3: Go to Tip #6 on Replacing Eggs to determine which strategy to use.
Step 4: If it is a cake or muffin recipe, use canola oil to replace the fat. If it is a cookie, use earth balance margarine to replace the fat.
Step 5: Make sure to half or quarter the recipe. Never start out trying to veganize an entire recipe! Consider this an experiment, not the final product.
Step 6: Mix by Hand. I never use mixers or hand mixers in my baking. Every time I've used a mixer, my vegan desserts have come out dry and hard. Mixing by hand is the way to go!
Step 7: If you really want to create a great vegan dessert and you aren't afraid put time into the project, use non-vegans to taste-test your vegan creation. They will tell you right away if it tastes right or not.
Upcoming Class
The Vegan Coffee Shop
Date: Saturday, August 14, 2010
Time: 1:00pm - 3:30pm
Location: Whole Foods Market,
1010 Park Place, San Mateo
Class Description: Learn the secrets of baking amazing cinnamon rolls, banana walnut bread, and raspberry cream scones.
Cost: $25.00. All profits donated to Bay Area Vegetarians
Past Classes (View Photos)
The Chocolate Trio
View March Class Photos!Sold out class at Whole Foods Market in San Mateo on Saturday, March 27, 2010 25 people attended. Class featured chocolate chip cookies, choolate cream cheese bundt, chocolate hazelnut torte, and complimentary fudge brownie bites plus coffee and tea!
Berry Sweets
View April Class Photos!2nd sold out class at Whole Foods Market in San Mateo on Saturday, April 24, 2010. 25 people attended. Class featured old fashioned strawberry shortcake with coconut whipped cream, rasbperry tart with coconut custard, and blueberry muffins plus coffee and tea!