How to replace any ingredient

Hello Foodies! I am Edgar TheFoodGuy.

Have you ever run out of cacao powder in the middle of mixing sugar and flour to make brownies for sale? No? Just me then?! After an initial panic, I thought to myself that I need to think like a chef. And if you are no chef here is a simple guide on how to replace a missing ingredient.

Replacement by Function

Any ingredients in the recipe making play a specific function. It wouldn't be there if it didn't play a role, like Ron or Hermine in the Harry Potter series. When I ran out of cacao I thought I could find more. Dah... It wouldn't be a very good guide if my advice would be to have more of the ingredients, would it?

I needed 50 grams of cacao to finish the brownies. I was making them for commission and going to the shop was my last resort as the weather was British and I had a tight deadline. At first, I thought how great it would be to replace cacao with liquid chocolate. Grate some of the 70% one and be done in a minute. Not a bad instinct. However, liquid chocolate does not fulfil the same function as cacao powder. The fat content and level of moisture are very different and could significantly affect the recipe. What I needed then was a dry, powdery ingredient that can replace the cacao or make a new type of brownie without sacrificing the quality and my intentions. I looked around the cupboard and found two things that worked for me.

First, an instant cocoa mix with 39% cocoa powder. It would add extra sweetness, sure, but it would do the job of mixing and absorbing the moisture as the cacao does. And for the sweet counterbalance, I had a second ingredient - fine ground decaf coffee. Black powder with a delicate smell and notes that would add to the flavour of the brownie. Also, coffee grounds are a great absorbent so they would compensate for what the mix would lack otherwise.

Flavour Replacement

Any ingredient in the recipe is either functional like baking powder that makes bubbles in the mixture aerating and lifting the dessert, or a flavour that will impact what you feel in the mouth. In the case of cacao, it does both. I replaced the functional part but now I had to make sure that the flavour is not majorly impacted. With my two-part cacao powder replacement I made sure that the cocoa drink mix has only the necessary flavour ingredients. Sugar, cacao and orange flavouring. While not ideal the orange works well with chocolate and I was ready to take my chances. The coffee I added is described as cacao-like (win) with notes of milk chocolate and almond. I think we are in the clear. The intensity of extra sweetness and bitterness balanced each other at the end.

Replacing with Substance in mind

I think the substance is an overall mouthfeel and presentation of the dish. It is a physical representation of function and flavour. It is synonymous with mouthfeel and appearance. Once again replacing cocoa with coffee adds a certain grit to the texture and might even absorb extra moisture that makes the brownie dry. I addressed it by adding extra oil.

When I thought about adding melted chocolate to the brownie I realised that it would probably work, but it would make it different. Only the experiment would show. It is at this point that I realised that under time constraints, I couldn't compromise on quality.

Adjusting for the substance means understanding the ins and outs of the final product, where it delivers and what you don't want to mess with. The too-wet dough would not set into a solid gooey brownie, and too dry would make it unpleasant to eat, so the compromise is to know what properties of replacement could affect the brownie and adjust the cooking technique accordingly as well.

Rarely do ingredients play a singular role in the mix. Functional ingredients add flavour and flavoursome ingredients affect the mouthfeel. If you found yourself stranded in the kitchen without the ingredients look for a replacement. Think what could work, what sticks when you need a sticky bit, fresh for freshness (in my experience herb replacements for pesto are often successful), and flavoursome fatty bits can always be replaced with another fat and extra flavour on top.

If you try hard enough and fail, consider what you’ve learned to be your brownie points.

-TheFoodGuy. Like, tip and subscribe for more food & kitchen topics.