Cupcake Failure

After I posted about the egg substitutes, I had to make cupcakes. Well, I think I used the wrong substitute. Or it could have been that I used the wrong two substitutes, since I had to substitute for milk as well. Whatever it was, they were weird!

I made the cupcakes following a recipe out of the red and white cookbook for a one layer chocolate cake. I substituted water for the milk; probably, this was the first bad substitute making it too liquid. The other substitute I made was for the egg and I used the 1 T water + 1 T vinegar + 1 tsp baking powder. Oh, and I only had wheat flour (but I have done that before and it wasn't a problem.)

At any rate, they tasted good, though with a grainy texture due to the wheat flour. They not only rose and then sunk, leaving a hollow like a volcano cone, but they spread out over the top edge of the muffin tin. Oh, and they were really crumbly. However, they were eaten and approved of, even if I couldn't ice them and pass them out like cupcakes.

Lesson learned, though. I remember reading in one of the vegetarian cookbooks I have borrowed from the library that some egg substitutes are heat activated and work better for baking. That was probably the biggest problem; I should probably have used the arrowroot sub. I will have to go through and see if I can find a good website that has a list of the best application for each sub. If not, I will try to contact the author of that cookbook and see if I can reproduce it because it is gonna be useful!!

Happy baking.

Snickerdoodles

Cookies are always a hit. One of my favorite things to make in the kitchen has always been cookies. I love cookies.

 

However, if you have food allergies in your family, you know just how few recipes are out there without something that your child is allergic to. Well, here is a good one that does not have milk or eggs. It comes from my childhood and my mother, who taught me so much. Actually, I modified the one from my mom so that it does not include eggs but she won't mind. So here we go.

SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

• 1 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C margarine, softened
• 1/2 C vegetable shortening
• 4 T arrowroot flour
• 4 T water
• 2 3/4 C flour
• 2 t cream of tartar
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 3 T sugar
• 3 T ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 400. Mix sugar, margarine, shortening, arrowroot flour, and water. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Shape dough into walnut sized balls.

Mix 3 T sugar and 3 T ground cinnamon. Roll balls in mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Cook on rack. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Enjoy this treat.

Egg Substitutes

Did you ever get up and decide to work on a recipe only to read eggs in the list and know you didn't have any? Used to be that I would put that recipe aside. Now, I know better. Since DD number 2 has been diagnosed with an egg allergy, I have found out that there are actually a huge number of possible substitutes.

These Snickerdoodles were made with arrowroot flour.

I have used several of them. In fact, the cookies in the oven right now used the arrowroot flour substitute. You will do better if you have an idea of the taste of what you are making is like - mainly sweet or savory. I am going to be making cupcakes tomorrow using an egg substitute. I will let you know how that turns out.

For now, here is the list that I have compiled of possible substitutes for eggs.

Use one of the following bullets  for each egg, up to 3 eggs, paying attention to the type of dish you are making and the flavors that will compliment it.

• 1 tsp baking powder + 1 T liquid + 1 T vinegar
• 1 tsp yeast dissolved in ¼ C warm water
• 1 ½ T water + 1 ½ T oil + 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pkg gelatin + 2 T warm water; mix just prior to use
• 2 T arrowroot flour
• 2 T applesauce + ¼ tsp baking powder
• ½ banana (medium, mashed) + ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 T vinegar + 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 T lemon juice + 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 T cornstarch + 3 T water

These have worked really well for me. I hope they work just as well for you. Happy baking.

Homemade Pop Tarts

Who doesn't love a pop tart? But have you looked at that label!? Name an allergen and it is probably in there, not to mention all those non-healthy things.

My kids love pop tarts but we have hardly ever bought them. Add that to the food allergy diagnosis. Result: all of us cannot eat them so we will not buy them. Somewhere along the line, a friend had shared this recipe with me for making our own pop tarts. (If I knew where it came from, I would link to it. That cook deserves credit! I did have to change it for allergy purposes, though.) It is so good! It ranks right up there with homemade donuts. Make these ahead of time and they are better, though right out of the oven is good, too.

HOMEMADE POP TARTS:
2 C flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 C shortening
5-7 T ice cold water
jams or jellies of your choice
1 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
1-2 T water
food coloring of your choice
sprinkles of your choice

Mix the flour, salt, and shortening in a bowl. Add the water and mix until well blended but don't over mix. This will make the dough tough. (Up to this point, this is just your standard pie crust recipe for a double crust pie. So, it is conceivable that you could just buy frozen or refrigerated pie crusts to use. I have not tried this.)

Roll the dough out thin and cut into rectangles that are about 3" x 5". Place about 1 tsp of jam or jelly on one end of each rectangle. Fold it over and seal the edges. (You can either wet the edge with water and press closed or use a fork to crimp the edges closed.) The directions said to place on a cookie sheet covered in foil and sprayed with non-stick spray; I put them on a baking stone. Whatever you have... Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes or until browned. If the edges aren't sealed well, the jelly will drip out so be prepared.

After they are cooled, mix up the powdered sugar, vanilla, food coloring, and water until you have a slightly liquid icing. Lay the pop tarts on a cooling rack and drizzle the icing over them. Add the sprinkles and you are ready to eat.

My only other bit of advice: be prepared to either make them again for the next day or be prepared to say no. These are yummy and addictive. Everyone will love them and want more.

Have a great breakfast, treat, or dessert!