When a bread recipe calls for milk, or buttermilk, what can I substitute it
for, as I don't use milk. Is Soya milk or coffee mate acceptable?


Thanks

You could make small loaves of each to try it out, although I have to
admit that neither sounds good to me. When I don't have milk on hand I
just skip using it altogether! However, you will need to have the same
amount of liquid as though you did add the milk, so add more water, or
an egg, or combination of egg and water. Milk in bread makes a finer
crumb; water doesn't refine the crumb; egg makes a wee bit finer crumb
and adds a lovely texture.

"Grr" <lll> wrote in message ...
> When a bread recipe calls for milk, or buttermilk, what can I substitute
it
> for, as I don't use milk. Is Soya milk or coffee mate acceptable?

You can use anything you want, realizing that the flavor and texture will be
altered. I would probably use water or Soya milk, but not artificial coffee
creamer which will be high in fat and probably have a lot of saturated fat
from tropical oils - or even worse, trans-fats from partial hydrogenation.
If you just don't use milk because spoils faster than you can consume it, I
would get some instant, non-fat dry milk powder and use that. You can mix
the powder with the dry ingredients and then add water.

Hi --

The milk in bread affects the texture ever so slightly. Large amounts
of milk, ie the buttermilk in a buttermilk bread, also affect the
flavor.

If the bread contains just a tsp of milk or dried milk, you can safely
omit it. It's there for texture only. (And personally, I can't tell
the difference.)

If the recipe contains a larger quantity of milk, you can substitute
another liquid, either water or soy milk, typically with fine results.
The flavor will be slightly different, of course, but plain milk doesn't
have huge amounts of flavor to impart. Do be sure that the liquid you
add has a similar amount of sugar, though, as sugar affects yeast
production.

If the recipe contains buttermilk, find a different recipe. Buttermilk
is there specifically for flavor, and your results will be quite
different if you substitute a different liquid. You'd also need to add
fat of some sort, since buttermilk is very rich.

I hope this helps,
--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

"Beth Kevles" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi --
>
> The milk in bread affects the texture ever so slightly. Large amounts
> of milk, ie the buttermilk in a buttermilk bread, also affect the
> flavor.
>
> If the bread contains just a tsp of milk or dried milk, you can safely
> omit it. It's there for texture only. (And personally, I can't tell
> the difference.)
>
> If the recipe contains a larger quantity of milk, you can substitute
> another liquid, either water or soy milk, typically with fine results.
> The flavor will be slightly different, of course, but plain milk doesn't
> have huge amounts of flavor to impart. Do be sure that the liquid you
> add has a similar amount of sugar, though, as sugar affects yeast
> production.
>
> If the recipe contains buttermilk, find a different recipe. Buttermilk
> is there specifically for flavor, and your results will be quite
> different if you substitute a different liquid. You'd also need to add
> fat of some sort, since buttermilk is very rich.
>

Actually, buttermilk is lower in fat than whole milk, at least the way they
make it these days. You can also buy powdered buttermilk if the issue is
that you use so little that it doesn't justify buying a quart of fresh.

Buttermilk is not there just for the flavor, it is highly acidic and serves
to activate baking powder in the recipe. Double acting baking powder has
two actions: the first is in the presence of an acid (hence the buttermilk
in a recipe; the second is in the presence of heat. If the recipe calls for
baking powder and buttermilk, then the acid of the buttermilk is necessary.
This can be substituted with regular milk and some lemon juice, usually a
few teaspoons suffice.

T

"Grr" <lll> wrote in message ...
> When a bread recipe calls for milk, or buttermilk, what can I substitute
> it for, as I don't use milk. Is Soya milk or coffee mate acceptable?
>
>
> Thanks
>
>

"Thomas H. O'Reilly" > wrote in message
...
> Buttermilk is not there just for the flavor, it is highly acidic and
serves
> to activate baking powder in the recipe. Double acting baking powder has
> two actions: the first is in the presence of an acid (hence the
buttermilk
> in a recipe; the second is in the presence of heat. If the recipe calls
for
> baking powder and buttermilk, then the acid of the buttermilk is
necessary.
> This can be substituted with regular milk and some lemon juice, usually a
> few teaspoons suffice.
>

Right, but that's not the case in bread making since there is no chemical
leavening. The OP's question was:
"When a bread recipe calls for milk, or buttermilk, what can I substitute it
for, as I don't use milk. Is Soya milk or coffee mate acceptable"

Many thanks for the info.

Is it generally necessary to do anything to make baking powder work, with a
normal recipe, or can you just throw it in and put it into the oven.



"Vox Humana" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Thomas H. O'Reilly" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Buttermilk is not there just for the flavor, it is highly acidic and
> serves
>> to activate baking powder in the recipe. Double acting baking powder has
>> two actions: the first is in the presence of an acid (hence the
> buttermilk
>> in a recipe; the second is in the presence of heat. If the recipe calls
> for
>> baking powder and buttermilk, then the acid of the buttermilk is
> necessary.
>> This can be substituted with regular milk and some lemon juice, usually a
>> few teaspoons suffice.
>>
>
> Right, but that's not the case in bread making since there is no chemical
> leavening. The OP's question was:
> "When a bread recipe calls for milk, or buttermilk, what can I substitute
> it
> for, as I don't use milk. Is Soya milk or coffee mate acceptable"
>
>

"Xanadu" <.> wrote in message ...
> Many thanks for the info.
>
> Is it generally necessary to do anything to make baking powder work, with
a
> normal recipe, or can you just throw it in and put it into the oven.

Baking powder is a balance of acid and baking soda. You don't have to do
anything to make it work. If it is single acting baking powder, it will
begin working immediately. Therefore, you have to get the product into the
oven as soon as it is mixed. If you are working with double acting baking
power, part will activate immediately and the second component will activate
upon heating. You have a little flexibility with your timing with double
acting baking powder. The can should tell you which type you have.

In article >,
"Thomas H. O'Reilly" > wrote:

> Buttermilk is not there just for the flavor, it is highly acidic and serves
> to activate baking powder in the recipe. Double acting baking powder has
> two actions: the first is in the presence of an acid (hence the buttermilk
> in a recipe; the second is in the presence of heat.


Baking powder contains a dry acid, so it does not require another acid
in the recipe. Added acid is only needed to activate baking SODA.

--
to respond (OT only), change "spamless.invalid" to "optonline.net"

<http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/>

"Vox Humana" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Thomas H. O'Reilly" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Buttermilk is not there just for the flavor, it is highly acidic and
> serves
>> to activate baking powder in the recipe. Double acting baking powder has
>> two actions: the first is in the presence of an acid (hence the
> buttermilk
>> in a recipe; the second is in the presence of heat. If the recipe calls
> for
>> baking powder and buttermilk, then the acid of the buttermilk is
> necessary.
>> This can be substituted with regular milk and some lemon juice, usually a
>> few teaspoons suffice.
>>
>
> Right, but that's not the case in bread making since there is no chemical
> leavening. The OP's question was:
> "When a bread recipe calls for milk, or buttermilk, what can I substitute
> it
> for, as I don't use milk. Is Soya milk or coffee mate acceptable"
>
Vox, what you say is true if the poster is discussing a yeast bread. I'm
not really sure of that based on postings elsewhere.
Janet