Holiday Prep!

There are so many reasons to love this time of year: crisp, clean weather, vibrant fall leaves, roaring fireplaces and BAKING!  Now is our favorite time here at Peas HQ to reinvent classic holiday desserts by making them healthier and more cost effective. This week we are sharing some simple recipes to make homemade baking essentials. Making your own vanilla extract, baking powder, brown sugar and vanilla sugar are fun projects you can do with the kids and also a good way to ensure that all your baking products are natural and free of any additives.

Vanilla Extract

(In order to have your vanilla extract ready for holiday baking we recommend you start this project ASAP.)

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle small bottle of vodka (750 ml)
• 15 vanilla beans (cost effective hint: the best place to get inexpensive vanilla beans is at an Indian Grocery store)  

Method: Cut the vanilla beans length wise and gently open the pod. Fill vodka bottle with all of the beans. Shake and store in a cool, dry place until your holiday baking party.  For best results shake once a week.

Baking powder

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cream of tarter

Method: Mix cream of tarter and baking soda together thoroughly and use immediately in place of baking powder.

Brown Sugar

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp Molasses

Method:

Measure one cup of granulated sugar and one tablespoon of molasses into a mixing bowl.

Vanilla Sugar

Method:

Simply place to vanilla beans (cut length wise and opened) in the container you store your granulated sugar in (sugar bowl, the bag the sugar came in or a sugar canister).  Let beans sit for as long as you have sugar.  This makes for delicious baked goods as well as for your morning cup of joe!

Substitutions for Baking

Let us save you a trip to the store the next time you have the urge to bake, but find yourself short on one key ingredient. Below are some simple substitutions that will feel like a godsend when they come in handy. Happy baking!

allspice: for 1 teaspoon ground allspice, use 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

baking powder: for 1 teaspoon baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon corn starch.


buttermilk: for 1 cup of buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes. Alternatively, use 1/2 cup plain yogurt plus 1/2 cup milk.

flour, cake: for 1 cup of cake flour, use 2 tablespoons of corn starch plus enough all purpose flour to equal 1 cup.


flour, self-rising: for 1 cup self-rising flour, use 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt plus enough all-purpose flour to equal 1 cup. 


sugar, dark brown: for 1 cup dark brown sugar, use 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses. Alternatively, use 1 cup granulated sugar plus 3 tablespoons molasses. 


sugar, light brown: for 1 cup light brown sugar, use 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Alternatively, use 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses.

sugar, powdered (confectioners): for 1 cup of powdered sugar, use 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch processed in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.


Sources:
* http://www.landolakes.com/tips/Substitutions.cfm