Ingredient Substitutions - Missing an ingredient, use a substitution!
ingredient substitutions
Missing an ingredient to complete your recipe? Don’t panic – Substitute! Read our Informed guide to ingredient substitutions…..
No Saffron: Use a small amount of Turmeric instead.
No Breadcrumbs: Crushed water biscuits or cornflakes.
No Cornflour/Cornstarch (1tbsp. as a thickener: Use 2 level tbsp. plain flour).
No Single Cream (1/2 pint/285ml): Use 8fl. oz./225ml milk plus 2fl. oz/60ml melted unsalted butter
No Honey (8fl. oz/225ml): 8 oz./225g sugar plus 4 tbsp. water or golden syrup.
No Dark Brown/Muscovado Sugar: White sugar and a teaspoon/5ml of treacle or molasses per 100g.
No Lemon juice (1 tsp): 1/2 tsp. vinegar or lime juice.
No Ice Cream: Frozen yoghurt.
No Whole milk (1/2 pint/285ml): 1/2 pint/285 ml. skimmed milk plus 3 tsp. melted butter.
No Noodles: Spaghetti
No Tartare sauce (4 fl. oz/115 ml): 7 tbsp. mayonnaise plus 2 tbsp. chopped sweet mixed pickles.
No Tomato Sauce: Condensed tomato soup or a packet of tomato soup made up with half quantity of water.
No Sour milk or cream: Just add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to each half pint of fresh milk or cream and stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Or use natural yoghurt
No baking chocolate : For every ounce (oz) of unsweetened baking chocolate required, mix a quarter of a tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
No Self raising flour: Plain flour can be used with the addition of baking powder. The amount to add varies depending upon what is being cooked, however, a usual amount would be 1 level teaspoon of baking powder to 4oz. flour.
No baking powder: This can be substituted with two parts Cream of Tartar to one part Bicarbonate of Soda/Baking Soda.
No fresh yeast: Two teaspoons of dried yeast can be used for 1/2 oz. of fresh yeast. Follow instructions on the dried yeast packed.
Short of an egg: If you need an extra egg for a cake recipe that uses a raising agent such as baking powder or self raising flour, replace the missing egg with 15ml (1 tablespoon) of vinegar. This will not affect the result.
Alternatives to lard, beef stock and gelatine: Vegetarians won’t want to use lard, beef stock or gelatine in recipes, as all are derived from beef. Instead of lard, you could use pure vegetable fat. Vegetarians can use Veg-E-Gel (made by Supercook) or agar agar instead of gelatine as a gelatine substitute – just make sure you read the instructions carefully, as it is used in a different way to ordinary gelatine and, as a result, the recipe method will have to be changed.
Crème fraiche can be substituted by mixing equal quantities of liqhtly whipped double cream with Greek yoghurt (or another thick yoghurt), but if it’s being heated you have to be careful not to let it boil. Alternatively, add a drop or two of lemon juice to some lightly whipped cream, or mix equal quantities of lightly whipped cream with soured cream, then leave at room temperature for about eight hours before refrigerating.
Fromage frais is a term used to describe very young fresh cheese and the best substitute is quark. You could also blend equal parts of cottage cheese and yoghurt until smooth, or use Greek-style yoghurt. Do not heat these too much, though, or they will curdle.
Kaffir lime leaves: Shreds of lime zest
Groundnut oil: any flavourless oil, eg, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
Do YOU have any favourite ingredient substitutions? Why not share them?
Post new comment