Fat-free baking is possible (heavenly recipe included)

8 January 2014

Sweet and heavenly

You can substitute the oil/butter with apple sauce or yogurt (the kind with no sugar, flavour (or anything else) added). As a rule of thumb swap 1/3 cup (80ml) of oil for a 1/3 cup (80ml) of applesauce/yougurt. You may have to experiment with the amount for the first few times as you might find it too dry/wet. Both yogurt and apple sauce may be used in cakes, biscuits and other sweet baked goods to replace oil, butter and margarine.

Try using prune puree to replace the fat. To make it, put 6 oz. (170g) of prunes, 1 cup (200ml) water, and 2 tsp. vanilla extract into a blender and blend until everything becomes a puree. Use it just like apple sauce.

Mashed ripe bananas work well as fat substitutes in carrot or banana cake or muffins.

Baby food in similar fruit flavours can be good as fat substitute, too.

Flax seed meal can replace all or some of the oil in a recipe. The substitution ratio is three parts flax seed meal for every part oil or fat you are replacing. For example, for 15 ml (1 tbsp.) of fat to be replaced, use 45 ml (3 tbsp.) of flax seed meal. Baked goods with flax as a fat replacer tend to brown more quickly than regular recipes, so you may have to modify baking time and keep an eagle eye on the goods while they are in the oven to prevent them from burning.

Mashed or pureed tofu can replace fat in savoury baked goods.

Remember, sometimes cutting servings into smaller portions is all that’s needed to significantly lower fat consumption.

Here’s a great proof that fat-free sponge cupcakes can be just as light and delicious. Fat-free doesn’t mean tasteless. Especially if you add a few drops of Nielsen-Massey Vanilla and Almond Extracts to create the marvellous flavour. Recipe by master patissier and Nielsen-Massey ambassador Eric Lanlard.

Fat-free angel food cupcakes with raspberry frosting

Makes: 12 cupcakes

For the sponge:

115g plain flour

85g icing sugar

1tsp. cream of tartar

8 egg whites

Pinch of salt

150g golden caster sugar

1/2tsp. Nielsen-Massey Vanilla extract

1/2tsp. Nielsen-Massey Almond extract

For the raspberry frosting:

100g fresh raspberries

125g unsalted butter, softened and diced

225g icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200^oC/Gas mark 6 and line a cupcake tin with paper cases.

Sift the flour, icing sugar and cream of tartar into a bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the salt and then gradually add the golden caster sugar – a tablespoon at a time. Whisk until stiff peaks form.

Stir in the Nielsen-Massey Vanilla extract and Nielsen-Massey Almond extract, and then add the flour and icing sugar mixture. Fold gently with a large metal spoon until combined. It is important to do this quickly – if the mixture is left to stand, it will collapse and spoil the light consistency of the cake.

Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake for 15-20 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting: rub the raspberries through a fine-meshed sieve to yield about 2 tablespoons of raspberry puree. Add the butter to a clean bowl and cream until soft. Sift some of the icing sugar over the top, then beat to combine. Repeat this process until all the sugar has been incorporated into the butter. Then beat the raspberry puree to give a spreading consistency.

Using a piping bag with a plain nozzle, pipe frosting and decorate with fresh berries and dust with icing sugar.

Toma Sukyte - for Female First