Baking & Snack - November 2023 - 55

FORMULATION
Vegan Formulating
Efforts to eliminate animal-based ingredients from baked goods gain momentum.
by Donna Berry
A
A classic French croissant has 55 layers, including 27
layers of butter. Brioche's characteristic rich flavor and
fluffy texture are all thanks to butter, cream and eggs.
Pound cake's very name is a nod to its traditional recipe:
one pound each of butter, eggs, flour and sugar. And
with meringue, the basis of French macarons as well as
angel food cake, it's all about whipped egg whites. It was
not too long ago that eliminating animal-based ingredients
from such baked goods would have been blasphemy.
Today, it's the trend.
Data from Innova Market Insights shows vegan was
the second-fastest growing claim in bread in 2022 with
18% of all US bread launches carrying a vegan claim.
Vegan was also among the top five claims in the sweet
baked goods space, with 11% of US product launches
carrying a vegan claim.
" Many breads are relatively easy to craft using only
plant-based ingredients, " said Aaron Reed, senior food
technologist, Cargill. " Most commercial bread recipes
don't use milk, eggs or butter. But many other baked
goods are heavily reliant on eggs and/or dairy, making
their reformulation more difficult. "
Despite the difficulty in formulating some bakery applications
to be vegan-friendly, demand for these claims
has spurred innovation.
" While the flavor of vegan products has improved
dramatically over the past five years thanks to advances
in ingredient technology, early entries to the category
sometimes fell short of consumers' taste and texture
expectations, " said Courtney LeDrew, senior marketing
manager, Cargill. " We continue to see advances on
the ingredient side that make it easier for bakers to craft
plant-based products with improved flavor, texture and
overall sensory attributes. "
Taking time to get it right
Chef Abbie Stratton, co-owner of Monarch Bakery,
Rockford, Mich., specializes in high-end vegan baked
goods.
" The joy for us is knowing that not only can we make
someone's day, occasion or event extra special with traditional
pastry, but that we can also help people with
dietary restrictions be included in the enjoyment, " Ms.
Stratton said.
The secret to her taste-alike treats is lots of trial and error.
" You can't rush the process, " Ms. Stratton said. " You
need to let the shells rest; you need to let each step take
the time it needs, even if you hate waiting. It's the quality
of the product you use. When making vegan items I buy
the best ingredients, and I put the research into what I do. "
Earlier this year, La Brea Bakery, a brand of Aspire
Bakeries, Los Angeles, introduced brioche buns for
foodservice. While marketed as a vegan formulation,
these buns deliver the same rich, mildly sweet flavor
www.bakingbusiness.com / November 2023 Baking & Snack 55
Coconut oil offers
aeration in sweet
bakery applications
like cheesecake.
Africa Studio
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - November 2023

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