#10 What If . . . MORE SUBSTITUTE INGREDIENTS---when the grocery shelves are empty!

There may be times when, although  the store shelves are full, your personal pantry is out of an ingredient.

Continuing the series to prepare you for a time when the store
shelves are empty and you have to get by on what you have on hand.

This post continues with substitutions, beginning with a guide for substituting natural sweeteners for refined sugar in recipes (from wholefoodsmarket.com).

Substitutes for one cup of refined white sugar

• 1-3/4 cups confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) for each cup of sugar. Do not reduce liquid in recipe.
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar. Do not reduce liquid.
• 1 cup Turbinado sugar. Do not reduce liquid.
• 3/4 cup maple syrup. Reduce liquid in recipe by 3 T.
• 3/4 cup honey. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup.
• 3/4 cup barley malt or rice syrup. Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup
• 1-1/4 cups Molasses. Reduce liquid by 5 Tablespoons.

If you need _________ you can substitute _________

• 1 cup brown sugar ----> 1 cup granulated sugar + 2 T molasses
• 3/4 cup cracker crumbs ----> 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup cake flour, sifted ----> 7/8 cup all purpose flour, sifted (which is 1 cup minus 2 T)
• 1 cup powdered sugar ----> 1 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cornstarch, blended until very fine
• 1 tsp lemon peel ----> 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 1 cup dark corn syrup ----> 3/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup of molasses ----> 1 cup of honey
• 1 cup light corn syrup ----> 1 cup sugar and 1 cup liquid*
• 1 cup honey ----> 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup liquid*

* may be water or whatever other liquid, i.e. milk, cream or juice the recipe calls for.

• 1 cup margarine or butter (for cooking or baking) ----> 1 cup hard shortening or 7/8 cup vegetable oil + possibly a bit of salt.
• 1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate ----> 3 T. cocoa powder + 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 square (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate ----> 1 oz unsweetened chocolate + 4 tsp sugar

For 1 cup white flour substitute any of the following:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 7/8 cup rice flour
• 1 cup corn flour                                       
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1-1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup buckwheat
• 1/2 cup barley flour
• 3/4 cup rye flour

Corn Syrup

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

dash of salt

In a heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan, combine all ingredients over medium heat. Stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover pan and cook 3 minutes, just to reduce crystal build-up on the sides of the pan. Uncover and cook, stirring often to "soft ball stage" or when you drop a little from a spoon into a glass of cold water and it drops to the bottom of the glass in a soft ball. Cool the syrup completely and store in covered container at room temperature. Makes about 2 cups. Use within 2 months.

Whole-Milk Substitute for Baking and Cooking

This recipe makes one cup of whole-milk substitute to be used in baking and cooking. You can adjust the portions according to the amount of milk you need for your recipe.

Combine 1 measuring cup water with 1/3 cup powdered milk. Stir well to dissolve all the milk powder. Use a blender or mixer for best results. Add 1 T oil or about 2 T melted butter after the powdered milk mixture is well blended. Mix or blend the mixture thoroughly. The oil replaces the amount of fat removed from the milk during the drying process.