The Science of Easy Vegan Baking

Bake at 350 for 23-25 minutes. Makes an 8-inch, single-layer cake.

Dry Ingredients:

1 c. unbleached flour

2 tbsp. baking powder (acidic NaHCO3 mix)

½ tsp. baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3)

Wet Ingredients:

½ c. - ¾ c. almond milk or other (H2O, healthy fats and proteins)

¼ c. maple or agave syrup (sucrose, C12H22O11)

2 tbsp. vegetable oil (unsaturated fatty acids)

½ tsp. vanilla extract (C8H8O3)

Topping:

See "Easy White Frosting"

Music by: Sirius Beat - The Cosmos

Link: http://youtu.be/Bkg08NvtvBU

Acid-Base Reactions

Every time we bake, we’re creating an acid-base reaction in our kitchen. But what exactly is an acid-base reaction? How does it work?

To understand this, we must understand the molecular makeup of the compounds we use when we cook or bake:

· Molecules are made of atoms, and atoms are made of three subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

· Atoms have a nucleus packed with neutral neutrons and positive protons. The nucleus is very small and dense. Negatively charged electrons encircle this nucleus.

· The simplest and most abundant atom in the universe is hydrogen. It does not even have a neutron. Its nucleus has only a proton, and its one electron shell has just a single electron to balance that charge.

· When hydrogen loses that electron, it becomes an ion: a charged molecule. In fact, this hydrogen ion is nothing more than just a proton, because hydrogen without its electron is just a proton.

· pH (power of hydrogen) is used to express how acidic or basic a solution is on a scale of 0.00–14.00. The lower the pH, the more acidic the solution. pH is an indicator of logarithmic proton (AKA “hydrogen ion”) concentration.

· Acids are proton donors, indicating that they release H+ ions (protons) into solutions. They have a sour taste and a low pH (below 7.00).

· Bases are proton acceptors. They gain H+ ions in these reactions, and increase OH- concentration. They taste bitter and have high pH values (above 7.00).

· When acids and bases react, they neutralize each other to produce water, a salt, and often CO2 gas as well. Keep in mind that salt doesn’t necessarily have to be NaCl, which is also known as sodium chloride or table salt. “Salt” in this context can be any ionic compound, such as sodium citrate (the product of lemon flavoured cakes).

· Water, which has a pH of 7.00, is neutral and can behave as both an acid or a base, depending on the substance it interacts with.

· Soy milk is slightly basic, with a pH of about 8.00, and homemade almond milk is slightly acidic, with a pH of about 6.50.

· Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), contains the basic bicarbonate (HCO3-) ion.

Chemical Reactions in Our Cakes:

1. Baking Soda Reacts with Liquid, forming Carbonic Acid:

HCO3-(aq) + H2O(l) ⇋ H2CO3(aq) + OH-(aq)

2. Carbonic Acid Generates Carbon Dioxide Gas

H2CO3 (aq) → CO2(g) + H2O(l)

Lemon juice contains citric acid, with a pH of 2.00. This is much more acidic than water or soy/nut milks, generates even more carbon dioxide gas, and causes cake batter to rise notably. Sodium bicarbonate behaves as a base with citric acid, reacting to form sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7), water, and of course, CO2:

C6H8O7(aq) + 3NaHCO3-(aq) → Na3C6H5O7 + 3H2O(l) + 3CO2(g)

Though this happens in a 3:1 baking soda-citric acid ratio in nature, we can write the equation as it would appear with a single baking soda molecule to simplify what’s happening, and show that citric acid is losing one hydrogen because acids are proton donors:

C6H8O7 (citric acid, 8 hydrogens) + NaHCO3 (baking soda) → C6H7O7Na (sodium citrate, 7 hydrogens) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

How to make simple shortbread just like great grandmother. She used to call this recipe "1, 2 shortbread" due to the simple ingredients and the ratio of the flour types. Bake at 340 for 20 minutes. Makes 20 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. unbleached flour

• ½ c. rice flour

• ¾ c. margarine (contains oleic acid, C18H34O2)

• ½ c. xylitol (C5H12O5)

• a pinch of salt (NaCl)

  
  

ALTERNATE VERSION USING LIQUID SWEETENER (Available in the Taste Tests book):

• 1 c. flour

• ½ c. rice flour

• ½ c. margarine or coconut oil (fatty acids)

• ⅓ c. maple, date, or agave syrup  (sucrose, C12H22O11)

• a pinch of salt (NaCl)

Music: 

Master of the Feast by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400019

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Dry Ingredients:

1¼ c. unbleached flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. unrefined coconut sugar (can substitute: brown sugar) (sucrose, C12H22O11)

1 tsp. baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3)

2 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon (C9H8O)

¼ tsp. salt (NaCl)

¼ tsp. allspice (optional)

Wet Ingredients:

½ c. dairy-free margarine (fatty acids)

¼ c. coconut oil (saturated fatty acids)

¼ c. molasses (sucrose, C12H22O11)

¼ c. applesauce

Music: Auld Lang Sang (Instrumental) - Jingle Punks

Learn to make a 10-inch Bundt cake with a marbled chocolate-coconut flavour. The chocolate part is thick and rich and nutty, and the coconut is light and fluffy. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F.

Dry Ingredients:

- 2 c. flour

- 2 tbsp. baking powder

- 1 tsp. baking soda

- ½ c. shredded coconut

(Only for the Chocolate Part):

- 3 tbsp. cocoa powder

- ¼ c. crushed nuts of your choice, such as pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts

Wet Ingredients:

- ½ c. maple syrup (2/3 c. if sweet tooth)

- one 400-mL can of full-fat coconut milk

- 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:

- 1 c. icing sugar

- 1 tsp. cocoa powder

- 2 tbsp. water or almond milk

- 1 tsp. coconut shavings

Method

1. Buy crushed almonds or nuts of your choice, or crush your own with a mortar and pestle, food processor, or high powered blender.

2. Mix flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, and baking soda together. Then set aside ½ c. of this mix in a smaller bowl.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F.

4. In the smaller bowl, add the crushed nuts and the 3 tbsp. of cocoa powder.

5. Mix wet ingredients together in a large cup, except vanilla extract. Pour the emulsification into the two bowls until both display similar viscosity. (This should entail about ¾ of the emulsification in the large bowl). Then add the vanilla extract to the large bowl. You may add another 1 or 2 tbsp. coconut milk or water to either bowl as needed.

6. Grease the Bundt baking pan with coconut oil, and pour the contents of the large bowl (white batter) in.

7. Pour the contents of the smaller bowl (chocolate batter) on top.

8. With a spoon, swirl gently one or two times, resulting in a marbled texture. (Note: do NOT continue stirring, or the entire cake will be chocolate rather than having that lovely marbled texture!)

9. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.

1. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool for approximately 20 minutes. Flip the Bundt pan over, and decorate the cake using the glaze recipe or using our Easy Fudge Frosting recipe.

2. Serve and enjoy.

Music: Triumph - Yung Logos

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Makes a dozen cupcakes.

Dry Ingredients:

1 ½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour

⅓ c. mini-chocolate chips

1 tbsp. lemon rind

1 tsp. baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3)

Wet Ingredients:

¾ c. almond milk or other (H2O, healthy fats and proteins)

½ c. maple (or other unrefined) syrup (sucrose, C12H22O11)

¼ c. vegetable oil (unsaturated fatty acids)

1 tbsp. lemon juice (contains citric acid, C6H8O7)

Method

1. Mince lemon peel to create 1 tbsp. lemon rind.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F (450 Kelvin).

3. In a bowl, add and mix dry ingredients.

4. Measure wet ingredients into a measuring cup. Add it to the mix, and stir your batter.

5. Pour the batter into two cupcake tins and bake for 15 minutes, when a pleasant aroma should fill the kitchen.

6. Put on the oven mitts, remove your new batch of 12 cupcakes from the oven and let the cupcakes cool. You may frost them if you desire using our fudge frosting recipe, or eat them bare!

7. Enjoy!

Music: Festival - Topher Mohr and Alex Elena

30 minutes prep, 23 minutes bake, 20 minutes chill. Yields an 8-inch circular baking pan of brownies.

Dry Ingredients:

1 large zucchini (approximately 1 ⅓ c.)

1 ⅓ c. unbleached flour

1 tsp. baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3)

¼ c. cocoa powder

¼ c. chocolate or carob chips

Wet Ingredients:

¾ c. almond milk (H2O, healthy fats and proteins)

⅓ c. maple or agave syrup (sucrose, C12H22O11)

2 tbsp. coconut oil (saturated fatty acids)

1 tsp. vanilla extract (C8H8O3)

Method

1. Coarsely grate zucchini, or spiralize and chop into minced bits (1 ⅓ cups).

2. Preheat the oven to 350F.

3. Add  all dry ingredients to a mixing bowl.

5. In a large measuring cup, measure out the wet ingredients.

6. Pour wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until a smooth consistency is achieved.

8. Pour the mixture into a greased baking pan.

9. Bake for 20–25 minutes.

10. Wear oven mitts and remove the pan from the oven. Cool for 20 minutes, and ice with chocolate frosting.

11. Eat!

Music: Motel Rock - Hanu Dixit

30 minutes prep, 1 hour 20 minutes wait, 25 minutes bake. Yields approximately 20 medium-sized rolls.

Dough:

1 packet of dry yeast (8 g, or approximately 2¼ tsp.)

1 tbsp. maple syrup (sucrose, C12H22O11)

¼ c. + 1 c. almond milk (H2O, healthy fats and proteins)

½ c. dairy-free margarine (fatty acids)

3¼ c. unbleached flour

Filling:

2 tbsp. dairy-free margarine, melted (fatty acids)

¼ c. maple syrup (sucrose, C12H22O11)

1 tsp. cinnamon (C9H8O)

⅓ c. crushed pecans

Glaze:

1 c. icing sugar (sucrose, C12H22O11)

1–2 tbsp. almond milk (H2O, healthy fats and proteins)

½ tsp. cinnamon (C9H8O)

1 tbsp. crushed pecans

Instructions

1. Measure the yeast into a large bowl. Add ¼ c. warm water or warmed almond milk (NOT boiled) and 1 tbsp. maple syrup. Leave for 10 minutes while the yeast gets to work and begins aerobic metabolism.

2. While the yeast is feeding on the syrup, add the ½ c. margarine to a pot on the stove on low heat. It should melt, but not boil. Add another 1 c. almond milk, and stir until the mixture is consistent and warm (NOT hot or boiling). It should resemble the temperature of a pleasant bath when you dip your finger into it.

3. At this point, the yeast microorganisms should have begun their reactions and you should see tiny bubbles in the yeast bowl. Pour the contents of the pot (warmed almond milk and margarine) into the bowl.

4. Add 3 c. flour into the bowl. Begin to knead.

5. Pour another ¼ c. flour onto a clean kitchen countertop. Empty the dough from the bowl, and continue kneading on the counter. Then, rinse the bowl and grease it with 1 tsp. coconut oil or margarine.

6. Place the ball of kneaded dough back into the greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 1 hour. Now is a good time to prepare the filling.

7. After the dough has been sitting for one hour, roll out the dough using a rolling pin, creating a rectangular shape approximately 1 cm thick. Place filling onto the dough, leaving a one-inch diameter clear all around the sides and edges.

8. Roll it!

9. Cut it up! Then place rolls upright onto a greased baking tray, and cover it with saran wrap or a kitchen towel for 20–30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F (450 Kelvin).

10. After waiting the 20–30 minutes, remove towel or saran wrap, and bake for 25 minutes. While waiting, you may prepare the glaze.

11. Put on oven mitts and remove the rolls.

12. Glaze, and eat!

Music: 

Artifact - The Dark Contenent by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100324

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Why do cinnamon rolls begin rising before baking? Are they the same as cakes? The truth is that they aren't. Cinnamon rolls and breads are yeast-based, and react differently than cakes to get those CO2 bubbles of fluffiness.

20 minutes prep, 12+7 minutes bake, 30 minutes chill in the fridge or 1 hour on the windowsill. Yields 1 small pie (approximately 8 inches).

Ingredients

Filling:

4 c. cherries (600 g)

2 tbsp. cornstarch (C27H48O20)

maple syrup or cinnamon to taste (optional)

Crust:

Use a pre-made vegan crust OR:

1¾ c. unbleached flour

½ c. dairy-free margarine (fatty acids)

1 tbsp. boiled water (H2O)

2 tbsp. applesauce

Method A: Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350oF (450 Kelvin).

2. Place margarine in a large bowl, and whisk it with a spoon.

3. Add in 1 tbsp. hot or boiling water, continue whisking until it dissolves.

4. Add applesauce, continue whisking.

5. Slowly whisk in all of the flour. Do not knead. The mixture should be crumbly.

6. Pack a small (around 8-inch), greased pie or casserole dish with this crust mixture, and poke holes in it with a fork 4–5 times.

7. Bake for 12 minutes. The crust should be baked approximately 85% to completion. Wear oven mitts and remove the dish from the oven.

8. Store in the freezer while preparing the pie filling.

Method B: Filling

1. While crust is baking for 12 minutes at 350F, boil 4 c. cherries (600 g) on medium heat.

2. Once it has come to a boil, use the cherry juice to pre-mix 2 tbsp. cornstarch into a small bowl to remove clumps. Once the mixture is smooth, add it to the pot with cherries and continue to boil for 5 minutes. Add syrup or cinnamon to taste, if desired.

3. Pour the pie filling from the pot onto the pre-baked crust, and bake it again for 7 minutes.

4. Chill for 30 minutes, and serve!

Music: Firefly - Chris Haugen

Pigments

Cherries are known for their sweet taste and beautiful red pigment. But what is a pigment, and how does it work?

Pigments are molecules that absorb photons of visible light. Photons are discreet, massless packets of energy that behave as both a particle and a wave. Photons come in different wavelengths, with 400–700 nanometers being the range required for visible light.

Pigment molecules all contain a conjugated system: an area where carbon atoms are bonded covalently in alternating single and double bonds, allowing for “resonance,” or the presence of delocalized electrons—electrons that are free to roam, unrestricted to one specific atom.

These electrons are available for photons to “excite” them, or boost them up to another energy level. To do so, the energy of the photon must be equivalent to the energy gap between the electron’s “ground state” and the higher level. Therefore, different photons of light—different colours—are required to excite the electrons in different pigments. The colours that the pigment cannot absorb are reflected by the pigment, giving it its unique colour. For instance, plant leaves containing the pigment chlorophyll cannot absorb green light. Therefore, green light is reflected off of the plants, making them look green.

None of the recipes in this course use artificial colouring. There is no need to, as the natural pigments in plants are so rich and beautiful. Store-bought red food colouring in particular should never be used, as its made of crushed cochineal insects.

Antioxidants and ROS

Oxygen is group 16 (also called “6A”) atom on the periodic table, because it has six electrons in its valence “shell.” Since most atoms require 8 valence electrons to be happy, each oxygen atom is always wanting for two electrons, and therefore an O2 molecule requires four electrons for reduction.

When fewer than four electrons are accepted by an O2 molecule, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed. These compounds, such as superoxide (O2-) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), are not fully reduced. They can easily strip biological molecules of electrons (this is called oxidation). This damages the biological molecules.

In fact, in high numbers, ROS can even kill cells. This is why all aerobic (air-breathing) organisms that conduct cellular respiration require antioxidants in our cells to inactivate or reduce ROS, and prevent cancer. Some of these are enzymes, whereas others are vitamins such as vitamin C.

Did you know that all pigment molecules are antioxidant, cancer-fighting foods? This is why food guides recommend eating a colourful diet filled with fruits and vegetables.

In fact, anthocyanins, the pigments that give berries, cherries, and red cabbage their beautiful colour, have ROS-scavenging capacities up to four times greater than vitamin C.

Red Cabbage: Nature’s pH Indicator

A grocery list favourite, red cabbage (which is actually purple) does not only taste great, but also has another very special quality: the ability to change colours with its anthocyanin pigment.

You’ve probably taken a chemistry class or done a home experiment and seen that the strong-scented juice of red cabbage changes in response to reactions with either acids or bases. Therefore, chopping a few pieces of a head of red cabbage, blending it in warm water, and straining the juice will yield a liquid “pH indicator”: a substance that can be used to determine the acidity of unknown solutions.

This magical colour-changing quality is due to cabbage’s chemical composition. Acids, which are proton donors that give the substances they react with an H+ ion, change the anthocyanin compound in red cabbage enough so that it reflects light differently and appears to be a warm colour, red or pink. Adding a base to red cabbage juice (a proton acceptor) will alter the compound so that it will reflect cooler tones such as blues and greens instead. Colours from hot pink to neon green or even yellow can be made by playing with the pH of cabbage juice.

More than 500 anthocyanins have been isolated from plants, and all contain the polar flavylium ion as a core structure.

Slight variations in the composition of various molecules in the anthocyanin family make them react differently to acids. The anthocyanin of cabbage juice is particularly sensitive, while cherries or blueberries are less so. Cabbage juice is an excellent way to manipulate otherwise clear or white substances to yield other colours you may desire.

The following figure shows ¼ c. cabbage juice when mixed with 1 tsp. lemon juice (pink) and ½ tsp. baking soda (blue). You could mix these solutions with some icing sugar, and create colourful glazes that won’t taste anything like cabbage! (I’ve done it!)

Pigments are amazing. They aren’t just nature’s pH indicators, photosynthesis starters, or cancer fighters. They’re also nature’s food colouring.

Music: Dusty Fingers - DJ Williams

Image of red cabbage in the wine glasses is courtesy of ZLife Education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMXMlWybv8A

Other References and Further Reading:

Brown, T. E., LeMay, H. E., Bursten, B. E., Murphy, C. J., Woodward, P. M. (2014). Chemistry: The central science (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Costa, R. [Dulce Delight]. (2014, Jan 17). How to make natural food coloring - Concentrated color recipe. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0dhvWA5iq4

Marcus, J. B. (2013). Culinary nutrition: The science and practice of healthy cooking. Waltham, MA: Elsevier.

The Big Bake Theory. (2012). NATURAL red velvet cake. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://bigbaketheory.com/2012/01/27/natural-red-velvet-cake

Rohrig, B. (2015, Oct). Eating with your eyes: The chemistry of food colorings. American Chemical Society. Retrieved from https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/2015-2016/october-2015/food-colorings.html

Thoisoi2 - Chemical Experiments! (2014, Sep 29). Make your OWN pH indicator from red cabbage! [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG-pNRVHsc4

Zrÿd, J., & Christinet, L. (2004). Betalains. In K. M. Davies (Ed.), Annual plant reviews, plant pigments and their manipulation (Vol. 14, pp. 185–213). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

You guys are amazing!

I created this farewell video with a mashup of some of our work, to celebrate with you. I hope you've enjoyed taking this course as much as I've enjoyed making it!

If you have any questions or comments about the material, feel free to reach out to me at blossomswriting@gmail.com.

For more recipes, please check out the Taste Tests cookbook by Samita Sarkar, available for pre-order on Amazon.

All the best with your future baking projects. I'm very grateful for our brief time together in this intro course.

⁠— Samita <3

Music: Splashing Around - The Green Orbs