Hello my dear friends!
Do you also believe “it’s impossible to bake without butter?” I used to think like that as well. Not anymore.
Although butter provides richness and fluffiness to baked goods, a good butter substitute allows you to adjust recipes with another fat or fruit. Butter is avoided by many people for a number of reasons, such as its high saturated fat and calories content. Those who are lactose or casein intolerant obviously also have to find substitutions for it. And some make simply a lifestyle choice: vegan include abstaining from dairy products.
Butter in Baking
Butter created from churned cream or milk adds air to baked foods, giving them a flaky texture. Since butter absorbs moisture during the baking process, its presence is frequently essential to the overall structure of the dish.
Butter also has a particular taste that contributes to the richness of meals. Among the several varieties of butter are:
– Traditional butter is manufactured from concentrated fat from cow’s milk, with milk fat accounting for 80% of the total, and water and nonfat milk solids accounting for the remaining 20%. Butter is occasionally seasoned with salt before it is packed.
– Whipped butter: Regular butter can be whipped with nitrogen gas to enhance volume. Whipped butter is excellent for spreading but should not be used in cooking. Since the consistency of whipped butter varies, recipes will not come out the same.
– Reduced-fat butter: Reduced-fat butter has roughly 40% less milk fat than regular butter. It is used in baking when the flavor/aroma of milk butter is preferred while the use of cheeses or other dairy ingredients is limited. To substitute the fat contained in cow’s milk, water and gelatin are utilized. However, because it includes more water, this form of butter should not be used to substitute ordinary butter in baked items or pan-fried dishes. It is also not recommended to use reduced-fat butter in deep-frying applications or with pastries where butter contributes to flakiness.
– Clarified butter: Clarified butter, which is also called liquid gold, is simply butter that has had the milk proteins and water removed. To clarify means to make clear, and clarified butter is exactly that: transparent butter. Clarified butter is popular in French cooking, while its relative, Ghee, is a mainstay in Indian cuisine.
But butter substitutes can do as well as the traditional ones do. For example, pure fats or oils may be excellent butter substitutes in baking. They compensate for a lack of taste with wetness. To acquire the taste of butter and the moisture of oil while reducing the amount of butter in a dish, use a 50:50 blend of butter and oil.
What are the advantages of butter substitutes?
Butter has a lot of saturated fat, making it a bad choice for your heart. According to the USDA, 1 tablespoon of butter includes more than 7 grams of saturated fat. Saturated fat can make your blood-fat levels rise and increase the risk of heart disease. However, butter substitutes are usually low in saturated fat, which makes them a healthier choice.
Furthermore, studies have indicated that adopting a more organic diet and utilizing a butter spread created from unsaturated, plant-based fats will help lower cholesterol levels.
Some of the most common benefits of using butter substitutes are:
– Lower calories: Since butter is heavy in fat, adopting butter replacements may help you lose weight by saving you calories.
– Extra nutrients: When you utilize components like nut butter and avocado, you gain extra nutrients from those meals as well. When utilizing various butter alternatives, you can acquire protein, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
– Milk intolerance friendly: If you are lactose intolerant or allergic to the protein in cow’s milk, you should avoid butter. Some brands are made with plant oils and therefore do not contain milk proteins.
I recommend when seeking butter replacements, try to avoid overly processed foods at all costs. Avoid using margarine and vegetable oil. Neither contributes much taste or texture to your dishes, and they frequently include harmful trans fats.
Butter substitutes in baking
1. Mashed bananas
2. Greek yogurt
3. Cocoa butter
4. Avocado
5. Olive oil
6. Canola or vegetable oil
7. Coconut oil, coconut cream
8. Grapeseed oil
9. Dairy-free margarine
10. Aquafaba mayonnaise
11. Vegetable shortening
12. Pumpkin puree
13. Mashed beans
14. Pureed beans
15. Apple sauce
16. Buttermilk
17. Nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew)
18. Vegan butter
19. Shea butter
20. Cottage cheese
21. Ricotta cheese
22. Cream cheese
But don’t get overwhelmed with all these options! Some of these options are better for certain types of recipes or products and some others for other sorts of recipes or products.
There is a lot I want to share with you in this matter. I will be therefore, bringing up this topic and giving you examples and recipes in other blog posts and in our social media channels – which you should follow in case you aren’t following us over there yet! So, stay tunned!
Have a sweet healthy (butter controlled) week!
Your, Leonor.