The development of plant-based pastry-making is the ideal response to the growing trend towards veganism. As opposed to the traditional use of butter, eggs or cream in baking, we offer solutions through our ingredients to create plant-based recipes.
However, this does not mean that we have to renounce textures, flavours and aromas. On the contrary, the use of plant-based products is an opportunity to study and discover new experiences, while preserving the authentic purity of ingredients such as fruit, chocolate or nuts.
Our aim is modern gastronomy, based on four pillars: less fat, less sugar, contrasting textures and more pronounced flavour. The technical function of the elements of animal origin is fully achieved with the vegetable ingredients that replace them. Thus, it is possible to obtain a vegan pastry of optimum quality.
In this article, we will cover one of the most common pastry products: the sponge cake, and we will find solutions to replace animal-based ingredients and make it 100% vegan.
What is a sponge cake?
Sponge cake is a mixture of flour, egg and sugar that is beaten and baked. Ingredients’ proportions vary depending on the type of sponge we want, as does the way we add them in. We might mix them all straight in (for a cake, for example), or we might beat together the egg and sugar or white and yolk separately. We can also add other ingredients such as fats (including chocolate, oils, butter and nuts), spices or fruit, which change the mixture’s structure.
To explain how egg works in a mixture, we have used a certain amount of basic sponge mix as our benchmark and worked out the ingredients we will need for a plant-based alternative.
If you need more information about the technical functions of the egg you can visit: Plant-based pastry-making indispensables
Egg substitutes for making vegan sponge mixes
Potatowhip:
Potatowhip is a protein made from potatoes. It can be used as a substitute protein for both egg yolk and egg white. It enables us to incorporate air into the mixture during the beating or whipping process. Potatowhip also coagulates and emulsifies like egg.
Natur Emul:
Natur Emul is a fibre made from citrus fruit which can fulfil the same role as egg yolks’ emulsifying component, lecithin. Helps emulsify cake mixtures with a high fat content. Also helps incorporate more water because of its absorbent qualities.
Deodorized coconut fat:
Eggs are approximately 12% fat. They have an important role to play in giving sponge a creamier texture, as well as helping to emulsify it and providing a channel for other flavours. We can use lots of other fats too. Deodorized coconut fat is a good option, as is shea butter.
Sponge base preparations
Almond Sponge
Ingredients
- 15 g Potatowhip
- 330 g Water
- 150 g Sugar
- 100 g Strong flour
- 300 g Almond flour
- 50 g Trehalose
Instructions
- Using a hand blender, mix the water and Potatowhip for 1 minute.
- Beat the mixture using a hand blender, add the sugar and Trehalose to the meringue and beat for a further 3 minutes.
- Lastly, use a plastic sieve to sift in the flour and almond flour.
- Spread the results into a tray and bake at 390°F (200°C) for 9 minutes.
Potatowhip has aerating, coagulating qualities. Here, we replace some of the sugar with Trehalose to tone down the sweetness and enhance the almond flavour.
Chocolate Sponge
Ingredients
- 400 g Water
- 20 g Potatowhip Sosa Ingredients
- 250 g 64% dark chocolate
- 50 g Trehalose Sosa Ingredients
- 160 g Sugar
- 130 g Pastry flour
- 7 g Baking Powder Fast
- 1 g Xanthan gum Sosa Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix the water with the Potatowhip and xanthan gum and blend them for 1 minute with a hand blender.
- Beat the mixture with an electric whisk until it has a firm meringue texture. Add both the sugar and trehalose and beat for another 3 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate at 105°F (40°C) and fold it gently into the meringue.
- Finally, add in the sifted flour and baking powder and mix them in gently using a flexible spatula.
- Spread the mixture into a baking tray and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8 minutes.
The xanthan gum gives the meringue more stability, so it holds its structure.
Basil Sponge
Ingredients
- 220 g Sugar
- 45 g Cremsucre
- 250 g Pastry flour
- 10 g Bicarbonate of soda
- 7 g Ground freeze-dried basil
- 30 g Potatowhip
- 350 g Water
- 60 g Sunflower oil
- 1 g Salt
Instructions
- Using a hand blender, mix the water and Potatowhip for 1 minute.
- Beat the mixture with an electric whisk, gradually add in the sugar and keep beating until you have a firm meringue texture.
- Separately, mix the Cremsucre with the oil. Incorporate them into the meringue.
- Add the sifted ground basil and bicarbonate into the flour mixture using a flexible spatula.
- Spread the mixture out onto a baking tray and bake for approx. 12 minutes at 345°F (175°C).
We make a meringue with Potatowhip (rather than the traditional ingredients) as a whipping and emulsifying agent. We use ground freeze-dried basil for flavour and colour, but also because it blends nicely into the recipe.
Passion Fruit Sponge
Ingredients
- 240 g Passion fruit purée
- 160 g Sugar
- 20 g Potatowhip
- 40 g Trehalose
- 80 g Sunflower oil
- 10 g Baking Powder Std
- 120 g Pastry flour
- 20 g Corn starch
- qs Icing sugar
Instructions
- Mix the purée and Potatowhip using a hand blender. Mix using the third setting of your stand mixer.
- Mix the sugars together and add them in in 3 stages, like you would for a French meringue.
- Gradually combine the oil with the meringue and mix them together thoroughly.
- Separately, mix the remaining solid ingredients and add this to the meringue, taking care to fold the edges into the center, until the two are completely combined.
- Arrange it into fingerbiscuit shapes on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 355°F (180°C) for 6 minutes.
We make a meringue using fruit purée beaten with Potatowhip to intensify the sponge’s flavour.
Today, professional chefs and pastry chefs have a multitude of products at their disposal to use in their plant-based pastry creations. Thanks to the technological advances and innovation developed at Sosa Ingredients, the quality and variety of our contribution to the world of gastronomy increases every day.