Ensure that your bakes go to plan every time with this extra know how and support. Gain an understanding of potential variables and substitutions, get troubleshooting ideas, a general shopping list to get started, tips for caring for your baking vessels, and much more.

This is a convenient listing of basic tools called for in this course as well as some “nice to have but not necessary” items that make baking easier and more fun. Read more about each, what you need, and how we use them all here.

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Is it possible to sub the applesauce for some cooked squash?

What can I use instead of applesauce (that wouldn’t have an over powering taste like bananas) in the recipes?

Baking is more of a science than cooking, so if we recommend applesauce, please try the recipe at least once as we recommend. If you’d like to make substitutions after that, reference the Substitutions section of each recipe, the Apple entry in the Ingredient Index, or try one of these other options: pear, quince, summer squash, and/or winter squash cooked and puréed. Note that each substitution adds a different degree of flavor, sweetness (aka weight, color, spread), and texture to a final bake. Grab your baking journal and document your experiments.

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Is psyllium powder the same thing as ground psyllium?

Yes.

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Can I use whole-husk psyllium (aka psyllium husks) instead of ground psyllium?

Yes. Note that 1½ teaspoons whole psyllium is equal to 1 teaspoon ground psyllium, so adjust accordingly.

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Which is healthier? Is psyllium like flax in that: a) there is little-to-no nutritional value unless ground? b) buying it whole and grinding (in spice grinder) as needed is always preferred?

Why don’t you use flax in your baking?

The main reason flax is ground up is because the protective anti-nutrients in the seed’s casing can pass right through your system undigested. Grinding helps make beneficial nutrients and fats ready for assimilation. With psyllium, it’s fiber—great for your digestive system. We prefer ground for baking as it’s more uniform and blends nicely—both whole and ground (aka powder) work well though. If we buy whole, we tend to fresh-grind in a coffee grinder so more of that gooey binding power is distributed throughout a dough. You really can’t go wrong though, just adjust ratios as needed if using whole when ground is called for. Our thoughts about using flax in baking are here.

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Can we use eggs instead of the egg replacers?

The recipes in this course have been developed for use without eggs. You’re free to use eggs instead, but we can’t guarantee the outcome.

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Is it possible to make bread without rice flour?

This goes for all flour substitutions: throughout the course, when a substitution is available/possible we share it with the recipe.

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Is Sucanat the same as cane sugar?

Sucanat is a brand name (Sugar Cane Natural) for a type of sugar that is minimally processed. It is sugar cane juice, dried with fans (it maintains all of its natural properties/color/flavor). Cane sugar is more processed so color is white and flavors are less caramel-y.

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Which gives the best results in GF breads and baked goods (real egg, chia egg, aquafaba, pysillium, flax egg)?

Eggs work very well in baked goods. They’re loaded with structure-building protein—it’s why they’re ubiquitous in quick bread recipes and gluten-free baked goods. But for those who want recipes without eggs, there are many options, and given the fact that their properties vary, it depends on what you want to bake whether a certain egg replacer will be “best.” As we discuss in the lessons, psyllium is best for gluten-free, egg-free loaf breads, and all other recommended egg replacers (including psyllium) work great for muffins, skillet breads, and shallow-dish bakes. Chickpea brine (aka aquafaba) will work pretty well for a loaf bread too. Our thoughts about using flax in baking are here.

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Is there a specific way to figure out ratio if using leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda or is just playing around until you get the correct results?

In the lessons we provide guidelines, but the heavier and denser the flour, the more lifting power you will need, so adjust accordingly. You just don’t want to add more than 2 teaspoons total per loaf or you could have a metallic or soapy taste in your final baked goods.

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Can you use leftover almond pulp from making almond milk to make almond flour?

This is a great idea, and we have uses this technique on to make crackers, cereal, and even chocolate mousse. We haven’t tested this in leavened breads or flatbreads however, and think that the leftover almond meal may be too dry to create a loaf or bread with good moisture and bend-ability. You may need to add some oil to your loaf to make up for what’s lost from the pulp when making milk. See, when you make almond milk, the oils from the nuts go into the liquid, leaving the meal dry with a squeaky bite. But we do encourage you to give it a go if you want to try it. Just dry the meal and grind in a spice grinder to get it as fine as possible. Again, when making a batter or dough, we recommend adding some fat back into the mix with 1–3 tablespoons of coconut oil, ghee (if you use dairy), or almond, avocado, or grapeseed oil.

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If I buy dried chickpeas (super inexpensive) and make them into flour in my Vitamix, is this the same/better than store bought? Will it react the same?

Fresh-ground flours produced in a mill, or ground to fine powder in a coffee/spice grinder work beautifully. If you have the means, do it! If using a coffee/spice grinder it will be more labor intensive because batches have to be smaller, but give yourself a leg up by breaking the dry chickpeas up in a food processor or blender until the bits are as small as you can get them. Then transfer to the grinder 1–2 tablespoons at a time to get them powdery. If your Vitamix or high-powered blender does this for you, awesome. use it!