Recipe 911 Emergency Substitutions

Recipes contain non-essential and essential ingredients. Non-essential ingredients are those that can be changed without changing the general appearance or texture, i.e. M&Ms in place of peanuts in cookies Black beans in place of pinto beans in chili

Essential ingredients are those that have a specific function in a recipe. Ingredients are mostly found in baked goods Work like a chemical formula Include flour, salt, sugar, fat, & leavening agents. If changes are made to these, it will affect appearance, taste, or texture.

So, what happens if you forgot (shame, shame) to check your pantry to make sure you had needed ingredients before you started to cook and you are in the middle of the process and discover you dont have something you need. What would you do?

Changing Ingredients Recipe ingredients are often changed for reasons other than increasing or decreasing the yield. Reasons for changing ingredients are to: –Adjust for high-altitude cooking –Adjust for microwave cooking –Substitute ingredients CAdjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. Adjusting for high-altitude cooking: –As altitude increases, air pressure decreases and liquids will boil at a temperature below 212 ˚F. When liquid boils below 212 ˚F., foods simmering in the liquid take longer to cook. They require more liquid (to replace that which evaporates) and longer cooking times CAdjusting Recipes

Adjusting for high-altitude cooking: –In baked goods, gas bubbles formed by the boiling liquid rise more quickly and cause the batter to rise before it sets. Without making adjustments to ingredients, the centers would collapse. To prevent the centers of baked goods from collapsing, use less baking powder and sugar, and increase the oven temperature. 2.04CAdjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. Adjusting for microwave cooking: Decrease the liquid by 1/3 the total amount Eliminate fats (both solid and liquid) unless they are used for flavoring Use ½ of the seasonings Use HIGH power level unless food is delicate, then use MEDIUM-HIGH power level Decrease cooking time – look for a similar recipe in a cookbook designed for the microwave Allow for standing time CAdjusting Recipes

You really want to make a cake that calls for buttermilk, have everything you need for the recipe but the buttermilk, but you are broke! What would you do?

Changing Ingredients, contd. Adjusting for substitute ingredients: –Ingredients in recipes are often substituted. Some reasons for changing recipe ingredients include: Unavailable ingredients Cost of ingredients Decreasing/increasing nutritional value Creativity CAdjusting Recipes

Changing Ingredients, contd. 2.04CAdjusting Recipes 11 INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTION 1 c. cake flour1 c. – 2 Tbsp. (7/8 c.) all-purpose flour 1 c. self-rising flour1 c. all-purpose flour + 1 tsp. baking powder + ½ tsp. salt 1 c. buttermilk1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar + enough milk to equal 1 c. (Stir and allow mixture to stand several minutes before using.) 1 large egg2 egg whites 1 Tbsp. cornstarch2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 c. corn syrup1 ¼ c. sugar + ¼ c. liquid used in recipe 1 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa + 1 Tbsp. butter, margarine, or vegetable oil 1 2/3 oz. semisweet chocolate1 oz. unsweetened chocolate + 4 tsp. sugar OR 1 oz. semisweet chocolate chips + 1 tsp. shortening 1 tsp. dry mustard1 Tbsp. prepared mustard 1 clove garlic1/8 tsp. garlic powder 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh herb1 tsp. chopped dried herb

You have learned how to make omelets in your Foods class, want to make one for your grandmother, but she has high cholesterol and you know that egg yolks are high in cholesterol. What can you do?

You find a recipe that looks really interesting but it calls for peanuts. You are allergic to peanuts. What can you do?

It is often necessary to make substitutions when cooking. Reasons include Unavailable ingredients Cost of ingredients Nutritional value Creativity

There are some ingredients that can be substituted without any significant change to the product. Write the title, Emergency Substitutions in your notebook. Divide the page into two columns.

Emergency Substitutions 1 c. sour cream1 c. plain yogurt 1 c. buttermilk1 T vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to = 1 cup 1 Large egg2 egg whites 1 c. corn syrup1 ¼ c. sugar + ¼ c. liquid used in recipe

Emergency Substitutions (cont.) 1 oz baking chocolate3 T cocoa + 1 T butter 1 2/3 rd oz semi-sweet1 oz baking chocolate chocolate+ 4 t sugar OR 1 oz semisweet chocolate chips 1 c. cake flour7/8 c. all-purpose flour (3/4 c. + 2 T) 1 c. self-rising flour1 c. all-purpose flour + 1t. baking powder & ½ t. salt

Emergency Substitutions (cont.) 1 T cornstarch2 T all-purpose flour 1 t. dry mustard1 T prepared mustard 1 clove garlic1/8 th t garlic powder 1 T chopped fresh herbs1 t chopped dried herbs

Now You Do It!