Baking Substitutions: The A-Z of Common, Unique, and Hard- to- Find Ingredients

by Jean B. MacLeod

Do you love baking? Are there occasions when you find it almost impossible to source an ingredient, no matter where you look? This book is here to help! Most people bake at some point in their lives. There can nothing more satisfying than producing a special treat for yourself or your family. But what happens on those occasions when you simply cannot find that vital ingredient you need? In this book, Baking The A-Z for Common, Unique, and Hard-to-Find Ingredients, you will discover plenty of resourceful ideas that will help when you get stuck,  Making emergency substitutions for common ingredients  Creating low-fat, low-sugar, and low-salt alternatives  Converting recipes into gluten-free, lactose-free, or vegan versions  Using edible, wild fruit, nuts and berries  Trying new recipes without investing in a one-off ingredient  Avoiding waste and saving time  And lots more… More than just another cookbook, Baking Substitutions could revolutionize the way you think about food and cooking and is packed with hints, tips and useful recipes as well. Get a copy today. No kitchen should be without this amazing addition that will inspire and motivate you in equal measure!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking

Kindle Edition

Published August 7, 2018

About the author

Jean B. MacLeod is a writer of practical hints for the home and garden and is interested in all things related to sustainable living. An enthusiastic culinarian, she is a member of the Culinary Historians of Southern California and Slow Food USA. She lives in the Los Angeles area.

Reviews

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting reference for obscure ingredients

Thanks to Goodreads and Jean B. MacLeod for the opportunity to read a copy of this book and provide a review!

This book is just what it says on the cover: an A to Z collection of all kinds of ingredients and substitutions. For example, if a recipe calls for ligonberries, under L this book will tell you these are Scandinavian tart berries, and you can substitute equal amounts of red or black currants, halved cranberries (fresh or frozen), or highbush cranberries (with large flat seeds removed before cooking). I love all the definitions and the annotations, but as you can see, the substitute suggestions are sometimes also obscure. In some of these cases I think it's most useful when you're planning a recipe ahead of time.

But overall I think this is a fascinating reference item, with lots of ideas. Some I can see myself using are the "make your own" baking/biscuit mix (flour, baking powder, salt, and vegetable shortening) and how if you only have sweetened dried cranberries when the recipe needs unsweetened, use 2 tablespoons less sugar overall.

The extensive discussion of gluten and texture and weight and country of origin of flour is one example of where this gets into very detailed discussions that probably are important to much more advanced bakers than me! In fact, one of my quibbles about this book is that it doesn't have some of the very cheap very on-hand rough substitutions I've used in the past. For example, I've substituted a little bit of sugar for maple syrup and added some extra liquid. It did not work super well, but it was very easy and quick, whereas the suggested substitutions include homemade brown sugar syrup, which takes 24 hours, agave syrup, which I didn't have, or honey thinned with apple juice (didn't have juice). So again, I think this is best used as part of thoughtful preparation and will lead to more reliable results than my approach of frantically searching the internet in the middle of making a recipe. Also, the sheer range of ingredients mentioned is fascinating, and flipping through the book is a fun adventure on its own.

Though the ingredient substitutions form the bulk of this book, there are a few appendices. One is a list of magazines whose recipes have 1 cup of flour and mean 4.25 ounces, and others where 1 cup is 5 ounces. I have no idea why this means anything, but given how much detail the F for flour section has, I'm assuming this is useful to advanced bakers. Another appendix links to the author's website, which is a PDF comparing weights and volumes and yields of various foods. This is something that I could see as useful, for example where it says a 4-5 ounce lemon is medium-large and yields 3-4 tablespoons juice, or 2-3 cups of frosting can frost a 13x9x2 sheet cake or frost and fill a 8-9" 2 -layer round cake.

I think this is a really interesting book, and look forward to perusing it more. You may be able to tell from this review, I am a VERY amateur baker, and I think the more advanced and adventurous you are, the more you'll be interested in what this book has to offer.

[Crystal Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give this 5 stars because I'm sure there's more detailed information about substitutions and conversions than grads of culinary schools and probably even executive chefs could tell you. It really is the ultimate reference on this subject.

HOWEVER...
There are five chapters. The one called "Measuring Methods" is simply a list of links and while I would be totally fine with that approach to delivering content, NONE OF THE LINKS ARE ACTIVATED. That means that roughly 20% of the book is unusable in its current form. This could be corrected by the author uploading a new version and if she did, I would be happy to change my review to 5 stars.

Another note: In the chapter entitled "Equivalents and Yields," the content is delivered in the form of a PDF. The link works, don't worry! But your initial click will take you to a webpage that seems to have a meager one-page document on it. At first I thought this was surprisingly sparse considering the density and thoroughness of the rest of the book, but then I realized the actual fantastic, multi-page document was in my downloads folder. You, too, may need to take that extra step to access it but again, it's more information than I'm guessing you can find ANYWHERE else.

Overall I think this book is definitely worth purchasing, even with the missing chapter on measurement methods. It offers solutions to everyday problems and problems you haven't even imagined yet!

[Yvonne Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like to bake from scratch, this is a must-have compendium of all of the possible substitutions you'll ever need to make. Everything is in this book. What I enjoyed most about it, aside from the fact that they include gluten-free substitutions for many of the items, is that the book also includes recipes to make many of your own items (like hemp milk).

I will be holding onto this book and using it every chance I get. Not only is it a lifesaver for when you simply can't find a particular ingredient, but just having the option not to use something you don't want to and still be able to bake something just as good as the original is a blessing in the kitchen!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the common ingredients and food items you've heard often, such as strawberries and pecans, to the never heard of before, like naartjie or acitrón, this book seemingly covers everything you could think of and more to substitute any ingredients you don't have at home or just can't seem to find. With extra references in the back for those using different cookbooks or stove ranges, this is the perfect companion for those who enjoy cooking exotic or diverse meals, for cooking in foreign countries, or those just short on supplies.

[Amanda Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baking Substitutions is an invaluable tool worth a space in anyone's cookbook library. The ingredients included in the guide are wonderfully diverse, including ingredients common to cooks and bakers around the world -- from baking powder and sugar to Yuzuk zest and Yacon syrup. MacLeod also does a fantastic job of giving the reader basic instructions on how to use the recommended substitutions. In addition to being well-written, It's evident the book is also well-researched, something confirmed by the extensive bibliography.

[Mark Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baking enthusiasts will love Jean B. MacLeod’s comprehensive substitution guide. Her book holds an encyclopedia of information and will soon be a staple in all kitchens. Every novice cook, or veteran chef for that matter, faces the inevitable one day – missing ingredients. From lemon juice to bacon fat, MacLeod saves the day with her A to Z guide. MacLeod includes commonly known substitutions such as substituting eggs with water and oil to make pancakes. She also lists replacements for uncommon ingredients such as substituting agave syrup with high-grade maple syrup and water.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic resource for the home cook! It features an exhaustive and thorough list of all possible substitutions for a wide variety of cooking and baking ingredients. I can already tell that I will refer to this often! Perfect for all those occasions when you might be out of just one ingredient or don't want to purchase an expensive bottle of alcohol for just one recipe. Really a great idea.

[Sil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a kindle copy of this book through goodreads giveaways. Thank you author, publisher and goodreads!!

I was looking for something just like this book. It has a very extensive list of ingredients and a number of options for substitutes or making it yourself, all very useful. I also like the list with equivalents and yield. All in all, I will be using this often.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this book in the Goodreads.com Giveaways.
Contains lots of useful information and will love having this as a good reference for when I'm cooking. Has some great suggestions for substituting ingredients.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many different ingredient variations to choose from when making fabulous creations for your family and friends. Whether you are a beginner or a pro in the kitchen, this is a must have book to read. I say that this will be a keeper in my home for many years to come!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very informative and a great addition. I want to get another copy for my mom. Very easy to read and use.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

For anyone who was/is a very serious
cook this would be a very good reference
cookbook to have.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great source of information! Just loving this! Thank You

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Missing an ingredient

This book has substitutions for everything you might have a recipe call for. Even ingredients I have never heard of. It also gives measurements and temperature adjustments. Very handy consensus cooking something new or when you don't want to buy an ingredient for one recipe

[Joann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource for bakers.