Egg and sugar: substitute for a health-conscious diet
The aroma of freshly baked biscuits or cakes brings a sense of coziness and warmth to the kitchen. Once baking fever has hit, eggs and sugar are obviously a firm fixture on the shopping list. However, if you want to eat healthily or eat vegan food, what you need is a natural substitute for eggs and sugar. We’ll show you possible alternatives.
The key points
- Sugar and eggs are essential ingredients in baking, but they can be substituted with healthy alternatives.
- Sugar substitute: coconut blossom sugar, honey, agave syrup, bananas, dates and maple syrup – note their level of sweetness and differences in consistency.
- Egg substitute: apple sauce, chickpea water (aquafaba), corn starch, chia seeds or flaxseed and bananas – for binding, moisture and loosening.
- Storing eggs: in a Liebherr fridge at just over 0 °C in the BioFresh safe for a longer shelf life and optimum freshness.
Baking without sugar or eggs – these ingredients can help
Sugar and eggs are among the typical ingredients used in baking – and for good reason because sugar not only provides the sweet flavour, but also gives the dough the perfect consistency. Sugar also caramelises during the baking process, giving the biscuits their tasty brown colouring.
Eggs are also an established ingredient in many baking recipes. The coagulating egg white acts as a natural binding agent and the egg yolk emulsifies the fat and water to turn all the ingredients into a smooth mixture. Eggs also loosen the mixture and provide moisture.
Enjoy sugar-free baking with these alternatives
There are a few things you need to know before you can remove the regular sugar we are all familiar with from your baking. Not all of the following are like-for-like alternatives for sugar, since they all have a different levels of sweetness. Liquid alternatives also make a difference. This is because other liquids such as milk or water will need to be reduced by up to a quarter. Also, the mix may brown faster than when using the normal sugar.
We’ve put together a few alternatives for you so you can enjoy sugar-free baking:
| Sweetener | Properties | Sweetness compared to sugar | Special notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coconut blossom sugar | slightly caramel-like, malty taste | 1:1 | contains vitamins and minerals, but in small quantities |
| Honey | aromatic, higher fructose content | 80 g honey ≈ 100 g sugar | similar calorie content to sugar |
| Agave syrup | neutral taste | 75 g syrup ≈ 100 g sugar | high fructose content, not healthy in large quantities |
| Bananas/dates | naturally sweet, rich in fibre | 125 g fruit ≈ 100 g sugar | very filling, very healthy alternative |
| Maple syrup | slightly malty taste | similar to honey | focus on the quality as sugar syrup is often added to it |
Egg substitute in baking: alternatives that really work
Finding a suitable egg substitute for cooking and baking is not at all as difficult as it first appears:
| Egg alternative | Properties | Quantity as substitute for 1 egg | Special notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple sauce and other purées | provides juiciness and binding | 80 g purée | slight intrinsic taste possible, also possible with pumpkin or pear |
| Chickpea water (aquafaba) | suitable for vegans beaten egg white | 100 g are a substitute for 1 egg white | beating takes around 15 minutes, ideal for meringue and fluffy doughs |
| Corn starch | thickens the dough, tasteless | 1 tbsp corn starch + 2 tbsp water | simple and effective, comparable to egg in the way it binds |
| Chia seeds or flaxseed | binds water and provides strength | 1 tbsp seeds + 3 tbsp water | flaxseed is more regional than chia seeds, gel can be stored for up to a week |
| Bananas | binds the dough and provides moisture | 60 g mashed banana | can replace up to four eggs and sugar, sweet taste of its own |
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