Eggs – looking for an alternative?

Eggs – looking for an alternative?

If you are searching for a way to remove eggs from your baked goods, then you are not alone. In addition to spiralling demand for vegan alternatives, bakers of all kinds are struggling with the rising cost of eggs, and supply shortages due to the on-going outbreak of avian flu across Europe. There are even reports of manufacturers eliminating dairy from their recipes to avoid post-Brexit export paperwork challenges.

It's quite a challenge!

However, finding an effective, plant-based alternative to eggs is far from easy. This is because eggs are used to achieve different things, in different baked goods. They deliver colour and flavour of course but, depending on the recipe, they can also help to bind, thicken and emulsify mixtures, as well as aerate, leaven, stabilise and add structure. And eggs don’t achieve these things in isolation. Instead, their interaction with other ingredients is complex.

An innovative answer

Helping bakers to find effective replacers for egg is a challenge that’s been keeping our Customer Innovation teams busy for some time. Now, one of our innovative solutions – Akocake 16-1E – is being used in a wide range of applications – from loaf cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and muffins. And we used it ourselves to create the vegan Jaffa cakes, which went down so well visitors to our stand at Plant-based World Expo – especially those who had not been able to enjoy their favourite treat since they became vegan.

Akocake 16-1E is an innovative, powdered blend of wheat proteins and vegetable fibres. It’s an entirely natural product, which will enable you to maintain your clean label declaration. It can be stored in ambient conditions, and has a long shelf life. Typically, you would use Akocake to replace whole liquid egg at a ratio of roughly one third Akocake to two thirds water, though slightly more water may be required to adjust the consistency of the batter. You would add the Akocake with the dried ingredients, and the extra water with the other liquids.

An integrated solution

However, as outlined above, eggs tend to do several things simultaneously in most baked goods, so it’s likely you will need other ingredients too, to replace that functionality. So, in this recipe for vegan cake for example, we also use Crestawhip 450G to aerate the product and help to maintain softness to extend shelf life. And, of course, for the cake to be vegan, we need to replace the butter too. In this recipe, we recommend Akofluid butter replacer – which delivers a rich buttery flavour and colour. In large scale applications, it can be pumped directly into your line – delivering time-saving benefits too.

Like to try it?

So, if this has inspired you to try to make a vegan version of an established favourite, or just to develop something new – get in touch to request a sample today. And, if you’d like to discuss a specific project, let us know and we can arrange a get together soon.

https://aak-uk.com/contact-us

For a free sample, call Jodie on 07773 258041 or email Jodie.spriggs@aak.com

• Akoblend fluid – to replace butter
  • Provides a rich buttery flavour and colour
  • Pumpable oil blend for easy incorporation into cake batter
• Crestawhip 450G – for additional aeration and shelf life
  • Replaces the aerating functionality of egg
  • Helps to maintain softness over the life of the cake.

Try our vegan recipe:

• HT Cake flour (11.5% protein) 25%
• Caster sugar 24%
• Akoblend fluid SG 16.5%
• Baking powder 1%
• Potassium sorbate 0.2%
• Water 23.4%
• Crestawhip 450 SG 1.8%
• Glycerine 2.5%
• Akocake 16-1E* 5.6%

Use to replace whole liquid egg with roughly one third Akocake to two thirds water. Slightly more water may be required to adjust the consistency of the batter. Add the Akocake with the dries and extra water and the other liquids.