Comments on: Some experiments involving vegan brioche

By: Cilantrochef

Cilantrochef — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:21:38 +0000

As a classically trained carnivore chef and now a practicing vegan. I too have tried to “veganize” several recipes and rich yeast doughs have been one that I have yet to explore. I was quite impressed with you calculations for the baking formulas (which I use as well–on the job training as an assistant pastry chef) I do have one question…when using lecithin, I have only used the granulated type what is the conversion from liquid to granulated for future reference.

By: Spring Break! I’ll show you my Brioche à têtes « Parsnip Parsimony- A vegan baking and science blog.

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:09:00 +0000

[...] instead, I just added chocolate and orange to the added-gluten brioche formula I developed in January. The orange zest and bittersweet chocolate chunks made for the most outrageous yeast dough I have [...]

By: Straw

Straw — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:00:25 +0000

I’ve tried using the artificial butter flavoring too, but I find that the flavor cooks out quite a bit in baked goods, and that’s even when I practically use the whole bottle in a recipe, and you have to compensate for the extra liquid, unlike with shortening that’s already flavored. The butter flavored shortening tastes more like butter than real butter, in baked goods at least, if that makes sense. I wouldn’t spread it on toast or anything, of course. The only butter flavored shortening that I know of is made by Crisco, but they claim to be trans fat free, now.

By: Susie

Susie — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:10:25 +0000

Hi Straw!
I have often played with the idea of mixing non hydrogenated shortening with artificial butter flavor, and maybe some protein isolates and water for good measure. I’ve never gotten around to actually trying it though. Pre-flavored shortening sounds very convenient! I will keep an eye peeled.

By: Straw

Straw — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:50:05 +0000

Have you ever tried baking with butter flavored shortening? I use it for almost all vegan baked goods. It doesn’t leave vegan baked treats lacking the taste of butter. The mouthfeel may not be quite the same as butter, though, but I still prefer butter flavored shortening to Earth Balance and it isn;t salted, plus it’s easier to work with than butter or margarine sticks, it has built in emulsifiers, has tiny bubbles in it that aid in creaming, etc. What do you think about it?

By: sarah

sarah — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:06:48 +0000

Wow…I would consider myself a “food nerd”, but you outshine me. I’m thinking I’m going to have to recreate these, partially for the experimental aspect, but also because they look so freaking yummy.

By: Tofu Mom

Tofu Mom — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:20:56 +0000

Fascinating, just fascinating! I am such a nerdy cook, I always need to know “why” things work the way they do and why certain vegan subs work and others don’t… So this is great stuff. I’ll definitely be back…