Many dairy and cheese substitutes use soy as a base, but, like dairy, some persons have allergies and intolerances to soy products, which makes things a bit difficult for dairy-free gourmands with soy intolerances. Have no fear-- it is possible to bake and cook dairy-free without soy products! While many of my recipes include such soy-based products as soymilk, soymilk powder and soy-margarine, this list will give you some ideas on how to replace these and still produce delicious dairy-free meals.
Nuts
Nuts work well to add dimension and texture to recipes that lack the protein and fat found in dairy products and, to a lesser degree, soy products. Rice milk and other rice-based products taste great on their own, but they are very low in fat and have virtually no protein. When replacing soy in recipes that use soy in place of dairy, nuts can account for the density disparity. I like to keep a small air-tight container of finely ground cashews and almonds on hand for quick baking and cooking solutions. Here are a few soy-free and dairy-free recipes that use nuts to give you some ideas:
Refined Coconut Oil
Refined Coconut Oil is great for replacing butter, soy-based dairy-free cream cheese and soy margarine in rich baking recipes such as cakes, cookies, quickbreads and pie doughs. I have found that refined coconut adds a slightly nutty flavor to whatever I use it with, so I especially like it with chocolate baked goods like brownies.
Many people choose to stay away from using refined coconut oil because of its high saturated fat content (12 grams in one tablespoon), but if used in moderation, it can work really well for soy-free dairy-free "treats".
Rice Milk
© 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.Rice Milk can often replace soymilk in baking recipes such as cakes and quickbreads with very little difference in results. However, in recipes such as sauces and soups, some sort of a thickener or stabilizer is usually necessary, as rice milk is significanly thinner and lower in fat and protein than soymilk. For sauces that call for milk or soymilk, I recommend using egg yolks, cornstarch, flour, xanthan gum or another thickening or stabilizing agent with the rice milk to accomodate for the differences in density and act as an emulsifier. Rice milk also is significanly sweeter than most soymilk varieties, so, especially when cooking savory dishes, keep this in mind and be sure to do a "taste test" and adjust your seasonings accordingly.
Vegetable Shortening
© 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.Vegetable shortening stands in nicely for butter, soy cream cheese and soy margarine in baking recipes such as cookies, pie dough and cakes, though it is not to be used in cooking in place of butter in such recipes as sauces or sauteed dishes. (For these, simply use canola oil, or another soy-free oil.) Although high in saturated fat (6 grams per tablespoon), it is still lower in saturated fat than butter (7 grams per tablespoon)! A non-hydrogenated, non-dairy, vegan shortening that I recommend is Spectrum's Organic Vegetable shortening, produced from 100% non-hydrogenated, organic palm oil. This dairy-free
Rich Chocolate Cake Recipe is just one delicious example of dairy-free and soy-free recipe success!
© 2008 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.Xanthan Gum is a
microbial polysaccharide that is typically found in commercial salad dressings, ice creams and other suspensions or liquid products that require an emulsifier, but it can be bought for home use and is a great way to thicken and stabilize rice milk-based sauces, soups and ice creams. It may seem expensive at about $10-$12 for 8 ounces, but a very little bit goes a long way! To use xanthan gum in your dairy-free and soy-free recipes, use about 1/8 t. per cup of rice milk and combine these in a blender, not by hand, as it will "gum" almost instantly. (I have found that blending the xanthan gum first with a bit of oil before adding the rice milk produces the best taste and texture for sauces.)
