The Fresh Loaf

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Non-dairy substitutions

ema2two's picture
ema2two

Non-dairy substitutions

Does anyone have experience or suggestions regarding substitutions for the following ingredients when trying to convert a recipe to be non-dairy

milk (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk?)

non-fat dry milk powder (soy beverage powder exists, is it a reasonable substitute?)

Whey powder (can the soy powder substitute?)

buttermilk (soy milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, what proportions?)

butter (margerine--brands to suggest or stay away from? shortening--again, brands to stay away from or recommend? When can I use oil rather than shortenings that may contain less healthy hydrogenated fats?)

Sour cream (tofutti's better than sour cream is the only one I know of; are there others? Does this work?)

Yogurt (I have seen a few soy-based yogurts in the health food store--anyone bake with them?)

Thanks for any suggestions.

Elisabeth's picture
Elisabeth

Here is a website about substitutions, further down it talks about substituting soy milk for regular milk.  Hope this helps.

 

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/f/MilkSubstitutes.htm

clazar123's picture
clazar123

The article linked has some accurate observations. Your chosen substitute will depend on why you are subbing.If there is a true allergy,pay attention to every ingredient in the mixed soy products. Some of them have casein  (milk protein-implicated in an allergic/anaphylactic shock response)or lactose (milk sugar-implicated in lactose intolerance and digestive disturbances/pain). If it is for a person choosing a vegan lifestyle, either one of these substances won't cause a physical reaction.

I sub soy milk directly for liquid milk.

Milk/whey powder-never subbed-tried to eliminate or add liquid soymilk, instead.If I need some browning capability, add a little sugar. If the milk/whey is being added for protein, I would try the soy powder or soy baby formula(the kind with no milk).

Farm Rich or Rich Whip is non-dairy-it is in the freezer case-frozen liquid.Not the best ingredients.

Silk brand soy has a soy Creamer but they do have vanilla and sugar in it.

Tofutti products are wonderful if the ingredients are ok(may have some dairy).There is a "sour cream" and a "cream cheese"

Butter-I sub oil but you may need to compensate on the salt.Also, try less.

You have to use a saturated fat when the fat is needed for the texture-cookies or pastry.Most cakes are fine with an oil sub.There are cookie and piecrust recipes with oil but they are much denser-less desirable texture.A hard fat occupies the space between the flour particles and prevents the flour starch from forming a paste. When it is baked, the fat melts from the spaces and the flour structure sets. That is why pastry is flaky or cookies are a soft crunch.

Margerine-never touch it.My personal belief is that the body handles butterfat better than man-hydrogenated fat.

I lived with 2 kids that had milk issues-both lactose intolerance and true allergy. They ate just fine-the thing they missed the most? Pizza and ice cream. The commercial subs for that are just not the same as the real thing.They are closer these days than ever,tho.

 

 

 

 

Patf's picture
Patf

I find that this is quite a good non-dairy substitute for whipping cream. You can buy it certified kosher.

The main ingredient is hydrogenated palm oil, plus sugar, but several "e"s.

 I use it to make a non-dairy ice cream, which most people think is nicer than the real thing.

edh's picture
edh

I can't use dairy or soy nor, at the moment, any of the other dairy substitutes like rice and almond. The one that remains ok is coconut milk; it really works in baking, though I liked it best when I could mix it with one or two of the others. 1/3 each soy, rice, and coconut really acted like cow's milk in baked goods. Still, the plain coconut is fine in breads and cakes, and I can't detect the taste at all. Doesn't work for everything; Sheperd's Pie is a big no-no; just, eeww.

For buttermilk I just did the same thing you do with cow's milk; 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice in a cup of milk substitute.

Instead of butter I used Earth Balance buttery spread and their shortening. Both are non-hydrogenated, but both have soy in them. Now I just use coconut oil for anything that needs a solid fat in it. Probably better for me, but coconut oil doesn't have the pliability of butter or fake butter, so doesn't work well for laminated pastries, etc.

If you are replacing the butter or margarine in a recipe with oil, use 80% (by weight), so 4 oz of butter should be replaced with 3.2 oz oil.

edh

abracapocus's picture
abracapocus

**milk (soy milk, rice milk, almond milk?)

yes, yes and yes. silk makes an unflavored, unsweetened soy milk if you don't want the flavor to interfere with the recipe

** non-fat dry milk powder (soy beverage powder exists, is it a reasonable substitute?)

powdered soy milk is what i use without any problems

** Whey powder (can the soy powder substitute?)

not familiar with how that would be used. maybe soy lecithin could be used?

** buttermilk (soy milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, what proportions?)

about a 1-1 1/2 teaspoons per cup should do it

** butter (margerine--brands to suggest or stay away from? shortening--again, brands to stay away from or recommend? When can I use oil rather than shortenings that may contain less healthy hydrogenated fats?)

i second earth balance. it's non hydrogenated and often oils will not act the same as a solid margarine in a recipe

** Sour cream (tofutti's better than sour cream is the only one I know of; are there others? Does this work?)

i've use that with great results. i think vegan gourmet now makes one as well

** Yogurt (I have seen a few soy-based yogurts in the health food store--anyone bake with them?)

i use soy yogurt as a sub with no problems. 

check out a vegan cookbook from the library some time, or browse at a book store. you can see how baking is handled without using dairy.

also, someone else said casein wouldn't cause any ill affects to a vegan. maybe not, but vegans do not eat any animal products, including casein. please don't serve anything with casein, or any animal products for that matter, to a vegan. it's deceitful.

laura

 

Marni's picture
Marni

I have only tried some of these substitutions, this is what I've found:

Rice milk and soy milk both work well as subs for liquid milk.  The soy is often richer and adds more body.  I have rice milk in the house all the time and use it most often.  It also works well in breads that call for milk.

For milk powder - if the recipe has a liquid ingredient, I reduce it and add the rice milk or soy.  If the dry milk is very small - teaspoon or so, I just omit it.  So far so good.  I used the soy powder years ago for breads, but found no marked difference without it.

I mix about one generous teaspoon of vinegar per cup of rice or soy milk as a buttermilk sub.

I use Earth Balance margerine.  Not the whipped version.  It is O- U Parve.  I agree that oil works fine for cakes, you'll probably need to reduce other liquids a little.

I personally do not like the taste of most of the Tofutti products.  They are like plastic.  Rich Whip tastes great but has zero food value and is basically a chemical stew.

I don't have experience with soy yogurts. 

Hope this helps,

Marni

pumpkinpapa's picture
pumpkinpapa

You could make Kefir coconut cream as a substitute for buttermilk, I use kefir as a substitute and I have heard other kefir users doing this who cannot tolerate dairy.

edh's picture
edh

I don't want to hijack, but can you tell me more about coconut based kefir? My understanding (very limited!) was that it had to involve milk at some point in the production. Is this incorrect? I really can't tolerate any milk; cow, goat or sheep, but kefir sounds like great stuff, and I'd love to know more.

Thanks,

edh

pumpkinpapa's picture
pumpkinpapa

Hi edh, sorry for taking so long to reply!

Kefir coconut milk usually requires using water kefir which is also called Japanese water crystals. See Dominic Anfeatro's page about water kefir here. I had tried using dairy kefir with coconut cream but wasn't very successful. It can also be used in soy, rice, or nut milks.

If you leave kefir grains in milk for four days all the lactose will be removed and you will be left with a very fizzy milk :)

Do check out Dom's site, it is THE greatest source for kefir info on the 'net.

ema2two's picture
ema2two

found a pdf on the Bob's Red Mill website for dairy-free baking substitutions.  No things people here didn't mention, but concise and all in one place