Tofu as an egg substitute
If you can eat soya, you could consider using tofu as an egg substitute. It’s fairly tasteless on its own and it absorbs other flavours, so you can use this to your advantage.
Tofu is best used when you need to replace whole boiled eggs, such as in an egg sandwich or an egg salad. If you flavour the tofu with some mustard, curry powder or turmeric, you can make its colour and taste more appealing.
Tofu can also work in quiches. To make the sauce, mix silken tofu with the liquid (this could be milk, cream or non-dairy milk) until smooth. Add some spices and herbs to make the sauce more flavoursome.
If you want to use tofu in baking, it’s best not to try airy cakes. Tofu is dense and your sweet treats will end up being rather heavy, even if you use extra raising agent. Having said this, there are sweet treats where it doesn’t matter that the end result is dense: for example, pancakes and chocolate brownies don’t need to be fluffy.
When you’re baking, the general rule is:
- 4 tsbp of silken tofu = 1 egg
You need to beat the tofu before using it. If you need the cake to be moist, it’s best to mix a little water (or other liquid) with the tofu first. Alternatively, you could use soya yogurt (or ordinary plain yogurt).
Using tofu as an egg substitute is not without its challenges, but with some experiments you can find a way that works for you!
Find out more about egg substitutes:
Egg substitutes – what are they and which one to use?
Shop-bought egg replacers
Fruit purées as egg substitutes
Sweetening syrups and honey as egg substitutes
No-added-sugar fruit spreads (sugar-free jams) as egg substitutes
Copyright © Tarja Moles 2013. Photograph © cukmen | 123rf.com.
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Tarja Moles is the author of No Naughties: Sweet Treats without Sugar, Wheat, Gluten and Yeast. Visit www.nonaughties.com for free recipes and information on special diets and living with multiple dietary restrictions.
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