You'd be lying if you said you never got motivated to cook something and then realised: 'Oh #*^%, I don't have X'! I also find that some recipes call for ingredients that are hard to get where I live, and I just don't want to throw away good recipes because I can't get one ingredient.
And, even though I meal plan, even though I'm absolutely anal for detail, I forget things off my shopping list,or someone 'conveniently' uses something you had bookmarked for something else. Sound familiar?
Here's some common substitutes that may have you being creative instead of stressed when you don't have that certain something..... bookmark it and share, so you don't lose it!
1. Make self raising flour - just add two teaspoons of baking powder (substitute below for that too if you don't have any!) per cup of plain flour.
2. Substitute eggs when baking for banana - about 1/2 cup mashed banana per egg. If you're making pastry I'm told that Xanthum gum (available from the supermarket, I know Coles has it) is the-go-to substitute.
3. Buttermilk is easier than you think.. and most people know this these days but a about 5ml lemon/lime juice or white vinegar in a cup of milk and leave it to sit for about 5 minutes will produce a great substitute for buttermilk.
4. You can skip the corn syrup if you find it hard to get some (in Australia that is the case) by substituting it with 3 parts glucose syrup and 1 part water.
5. Make a substitute for baking powder by putting together 2 parts of cream of tartar with 1 part bicarb soda. That one comes in handy when you bake a lot!
6. Did you know you can substitute butter when you are baking for 1 cup of butter for 1 cup of apple sauce or 3/4 cup of oil? Sometimes I go 1 small banana and 1/2 cup oil, depending what I have on hand..
7. You can cut your sugar but substituting 1 cup of it for 3/4 cup of honey or maple syrup - or 1 cup of apple sauce - or 1 teaspoon of stevia - this seems expensive in the shops but when you look at the conversion it's quite reasonable!
8. If you're like me and never seem to have cream on hand when you need it then you can substitute cream in a cooking sense (not for whipping of course) by using for every cup needed 3/4 cup of milk with 1/4 cup melted butter.
9. Now I never keep sherry in the house but some recipes call for it, depending on the recipe - I just use red or white wine. If it's for baking, I use vanilla.
10. Golden syrup - not available everywhere in the world and I get asked about this one a lot - so substitute golden syrup for say half-half molasses to honey. I know it's not the same flavour, but its a similar consistency and it's probably the closest you're going to get!
Can you share any others or additions to these?
