Are you intolerant or allergic to eggs, are you curious to try a vegan dessert or you want to prepare a dessert but opening the fridge you see that you no longer have eggs … What to do? First of all, don't get discouraged. Then, read our recipes and our tips for making gods desserts without eggs that will make you fall in love from the first taste! Yes, that's right, most recipes for making cakes, cookies, and desserts involve eggs. And do you know why? Eggs have a very important function in doughs, they act both as a natural binder and as a leavening agent but, as we will see in this article, they are not strictly necessary for the success of a dessert.

How to replace eggs in a recipe
With potato starch or corn starch: a whole egg can be easily replaced with 2 tablespoons of starch or cornstarch. Both flours are thickeners, therefore perfect for performing the same function as eggs. A tip: when you go to replace eggs with starch or corn starch, remember to slightly increase the doses of the liquid part in order to obtain a balanced and soft dough at the right point!

With bananas: half a ripe and soft mashed banana can be used as an egg substitute. It also acts as a binder and helps the dough to remain soft. A tip: if you replace eggs with bananas make sure you use less sugar.

With milk: 50 ml of both cow and vegetable milk (soy drinks, coconut, almonds, oats, …) are equivalent to one egg.

With yogurt: half a pot of yogurt is the perfect substitute for a whole egg. Yogurt makes the dough soft, moist and fluffy. Which one to choose? What you prefer, even fruit or coffee flavored, a vegan soy or coconut yogurt.

Shortcrust Pastry Without Eggs
Let's start with the basics. Shortcrust pastry is a cornerstone of pastry, but how to prepare it without eggs? In this case we have replaced the eggs with potato starch. Here are the ingredients: 200 g of flour 00, 1 sachet of baking powder, 60 g of corn starch, 130 g of cold butter, 1 untreated orange, 50 g of cane sugar, 0.5 dl of milk, a pinch of salt.

1. Jumbled up 00 flour with sieved baking powder and 60 g of corn starch. Form one fountain and arrange in the center 130 g of cold butter in small pieces, a pinch of salt, the grated rind of 1 untreated orange, 50 g of fine brown sugar and 0.5 dl of milk.
2. Mix quickly, form a block, wrap it up in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Prepare pies, tarts, or biscuits.

Custard without eggs
A sweet variane lighter, suitable for vegans, intolerant people or those who do not have eggs at home but do not want to give up a delicious cream. What will you need? Get yourself 500 ml of whole milk (alternatively you can use a vegetable drink or lactose-free milk) – 100 g of cane sugar (or granulated) – 4 g of corn starch – the zest of 1 untreated lemon or a whole berry of vanilla

1. Take a bowl and sift yourself corn starch, add sugar and half the milk or vegetable drink at room temperature.
2. In a saucepan warm over low heat the remaining milk with the lemon peel (or with the vanilla bean), add yourself the previously prepared mixture.
3. Stir until the cream is thickened.
4. Let the cream cool to room temperature e mix it occasionally.
5. Once cooled portion it in cups or use it for stuff tarts and prepare desserts.
An advice: if you want color it yellow to make it look like a classic custard, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric to the preparation or a pinch of saffron. Don't worry, the two spices will not alter the flavor of your cream.

October 2021
Giulia Ferrari