Learning to Bake Allergen-Free

If I had my way, chocolate would be a separate food group. I’m kidding, of course, but it’s no secret that I love chocolate. I can find a reason to add chocolate chips to almost any recipe, but that’s not the only reason why I created a separate chapter of chocolate recipes. Chocolate has its own nuances in baking that are worth some focus and attention.

In many ways, chocolate is like wine—there are many varieties, tastes, smells, textures, and subtleties to explore. If you walk into a shop that specializes in baking products, you will likely find an entire section dedicated to chocolate, with more forms, flavors, and sources than you could imagine. While most of us think of chocolate as a single flavor—and all chocolate does have certain qualities that cause us to recognize it instantly—there are differences in chocolate that start with the cocoa bean itself, just like the differences in wine start with the grape. There are also many brands of processed chocolate, and products with similar names are not always comparable—there’s the equivalent of boxed wine (everyday chocolate) and the finest wine (gourmet chocolate).

You’ve probably heard of cocoa or cacao beans. The Theobroma cacao tree, which grows in tropical climates, bears fruit in the form of large pods that contain cacao beans, which are harvested, fermented, and dried before they can be processed into the various forms of chocolate that bakers and confectioners work with. When we see the term cacao, many are tempted to correct what we think may be a spelling error, but the spelling is correct. The tree that bears the fruit is accurately called cacao, as are the beans within the pods. You will find the use of the terms cacao powder or simply cacao on some product labels, whereas others use the term cocoa. They mean the same thing.

The result of processing whole cacao beans is chocolate liquor (don’t worry, there’s no alcohol in it). Usually this comes in a molded form—either disks or bars. Cacao is also broken down into two ingredients—cacao butter and cacao powder. The cacao butter is pure fat, while the cacao solids—or cacao powder—are lower in fat. Most of the chocolate available for purchase has had these ingredients extracted from the cacao liquor, and then recombined in various forms. Candy bars, and even some chocolate intended for baking, contain added ingredients, including sugars and sometimes milk. Of course, this step where ingredients are added is what makes chocolate a concern for those with food allergies (see more). When I have described chocolate as “allergen-free” in a recipe, I am referring to a product that is chocolate but contains no common food allergens (e.g., milk, nuts) and is free from possible contamination (if that is a concern for you).

Chocolate allergy is rare. Nevertheless, if you need to avoid chocolate, one potential replacement is carob. Carob trees also bear their fruit in pods. Carob beans are legumes that (similar to peas) are harvested from these pods. Carob is naturally sweeter than chocolate and lower in calories. If you choose to use carob in place of chocolate, note that the flavor profile will change dramatically. If you have allergies to legumes, you may need to avoid carob—check with your doctor.

About Chocolate

There are three types of chocolate that you should be familiar with for baking, and all three are used in recipes in this book:

ChocolateNew.tif

Clockwise from upper left: cocoa powder, assorted chocolate chips, and baking chocolate

Unsweetened baking chocolate: Unsweetened baking chocolate is pure chocolate, with no sugars or other ingredients added. While the product you buy may in fact be cacao butter and cacao powder that has been reblended into cacao liquor, you will want to ensure that you use a product that is 100% cacao. This may be stated as “100% cocoa,” or “chocolate liquor,” or simply “chocolate” as the only ingredient on the label. If you bite into a piece of this chocolate, you will notice a very bitter, acidic taste. While different formulations of baking chocolate will have varying ratios of cacao butter to cacao powder, nearly all of these products have a very high fat content. When baking, think of unsweetened baking chocolate as fat. This means that you may be able to use less of other fats (oils and shortening) when working with baking chocolate.

It can be difficult to find baking chocolate processed in a dedicated facility. If your food allergens dictate avoiding products with warning labels and you are unable to find a source for unsweetened baking chocolate, you may substitute allergen-free chocolate chips for baking chocolate. The result will be a slightly sweeter product.

Natural unsweetened cocoa powder: This is another form of chocolate that you will find a lot of use for in baking. The baking chocolate we just discussed is chocolate liquor (cacao butter plus cacao powder), whereas cocoa powder contains just the solids (with most of the cacao butter extracted). Once again, the products you choose should be 100% cacao (and again, sometimes labeled “100% cocoa” or “100% chocolate”). I recommend that you always choose unsweetened; the recipes will add sugar and the other ingredients you need to make the chocolate palatable. Avoid chocolate beverage mixes (e.g., hot cocoa mix) that may contain dairy or other allergens.

I also recommend that you choose natural cocoa power. Cocoa powder comes in two different forms—natural and Dutch processed. Natural is as it sounds—unprocessed. But in its natural state, cocoa powder is acidic and bitter. Some cocoa is Dutch processed (sometimes called double Dutch)—treated with alkali to neutralize the acidity with the intent of creating a smoother-tasting chocolate powder. The result is a darker-colored cocoa powder that some argue gives it a deeper chocolate taste. In reality, I find that Dutch-processed cocoa powder has a less-chocolaty taste, and is less consistent to bake with. If you choose to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, you may need to adapt some recipes to use baking powder rather than baking soda. Remember that baking soda needs an acid to interact with.

One of my favorite natural unsweetened cocoa powders is Hershey’s. I find it to be very reliable and consistent.

Chocolate chips: Many baking recipes use chocolate chips as an ingredient. When you are baking allergen-free, always use semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips that contain no milk. But even if the label says “dairy-free,” this is the type of chocolate where food allergens become even more of a concern. Chocolate chips (and chocolate bars that have added ingredients) are often processed on the same equipment and in the same facilities where candy bars are processed. And many of those candy bars contain milk and nuts. It’s unfortunate that so many people prefer milk chocolate—if I had my way, all chocolate would be dark and without nuts, but alas, that’s not the case. That means that food-allergy families need to scrutinize the labels on chocolate—especially chocolate that is combined with other ingredients, like the chocolate chips we are talking about now. Pay special attention to products that have been processed in facilities with other food allergens, and choose allergy-safe products accordingly. See more on reading labels.

When selecting chocolate chips for use in baking, you should choose a product that is simply chocolate liquor (including cocoa powder and cocoa butter), sugar (or cane juice), and sometimes soy lecithin (more on that later). A product with a small amount of vanilla is also acceptable. Once sugar is added to the cocoa liquor, chocolate becomes highly edible. If you’re like me, you may find it hard to keep chocolate chips stocked in your pantry.

Note that although I am discussing chocolate chips here (because they are a very convenient form for baking), the types of chocolate described in this section often come in bar form. Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate bars can be broken up into chunks or melted for use in recipes that call for melted chocolate chips.

The naming conventions for chocolate products are nothing less than confusing. You will find the terms semisweet, bittersweet, dark, and extra dark all used to describe chocolate that contains 35% or more cacao (or chocolate liquor). A bittersweet bar or bag of chips is not always darker, and doesn’t always have a higher percentage of cacao than does semisweet. Some manufacturers are voluntarily labeling products with the percentage of chocolate (this could be listed as “% chocolate liquor,” “% cocoa,” or “% cacao”—they mean the same thing). If a product is not labeled with that percentage, the best way to determine how much chocolate it contains is by looking at the sugar content. Because these bars contain little more than chocolate and sugar, the more sugar, the lower the percentage of chocolate. For example, if a bar is 40% sugar, you can safely assume it is nearly 60% chocolate liquor; conversely, a bar that is 80% cacao will contain only 20% sugar. Most chocolate chips will be on the slightly sweeter side; as long as the product you use is 50% or more chocolate (and contains no milk, butterfat, or other food allergens), you are in good shape.

I should also address the issue of cocoa butter. Its name is unfortunate, as it leads some to question its safety for those with milk allergies. Remember that cocoa butter is pure chocolate. This is not a dairy product; there is no milk in it. Nevertheless, some manufacturers list the ingredient as “non-dairy cocoa butter,” as if there were a dairy version of cocoa butter; there is not. Also remember that if a chocolate product contains milk, the word milk must be clearly called out in the ingredients list.

The amount of chocolate liquor, the use of the terms bittersweet versus semisweet versus dark, and the confusion over cocoa butter are not the only confusion points when it comes to labeling of chocolate. You will sometimes find a chocolate bar labeled as a baking bar that is actually a semisweet, bittersweet, or dark chocolate bar. The simple check for this is once again the ingredient label. Even if a bar is labeled “baking chocolate,” if it contains sugar you should think of it as the same product as the chocolate chips and bars we are discussing here.

Because chocolate chips processed in separate facilities can be hard to find, I want to call out a few brands that I have found to be very high quality and suitable for many with food allergies:

Enjoy Life Foods makes chocolate chips in two forms—Mini Chips and the newly introduced Mega Chunks, both labeled “semisweet.” The company also makes a dark chocolate bar called Boom Choco Boom. Enjoy Life products are all gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of the top eight food allergens. They are one of the few chocolate products on the market that do not contain soy lecithin. If soy lecithin is a concern for you, this is your best bet.
Divvies Bakery makes a semisweet chocolate chip that comes in the standard chocolate chip size (right in the middle of the two Enjoy Life products). These chocolate chips are dairy-free and nut-free, but do contain soy lecithin.
Hain Celestial Group makes a dairy-free chocolate chip under the brand name Chocolate Dream. These semisweet baking chips are also standard-sized like the Divvies chocolate chips, and like the Divvies product they do contain soy lecithin.

As for white chocolate chips, they aren’t actually chocolate—they contain no cocoa liquor. Non-dairy white chocolate chips do exist (manufactured by kosher or vegan companies), but may contain soy lecithin and I don’t recommend substituting them for chocolate chips.

So why do you need to care about soy lecithin? Soy lecithin is extracted from soybean oil and then added back to many foods (including shortening and chocolate) as an emulsifier or stabilizer. In fact, it’s common to see it listed as “soy lecithin (emulsifier)” on food labels. Soy lecithin has no nutritional value; it’s simply fat that helps hold the final food product together as a solid.

As I noted earlier, the FDA requires that soy lecithin be labeled according to the food allergen labeling laws. But as long as the soy lecithin was derived from highly refined soybean oil, there may be little cause for concern, even for those with an allergy to soy protein. The FDA has this to say about the allergic potential of lecithin derived from soy:

As noted, lecithin derived from soy contains very small amounts of soy protein and it is generally used in small amounts, whether for a functional or technical effect in the finished food or as an incidental additive. The proteins in soy lecithin have been found, in some cases, to be soy allergens, and there are a few case reports in the medical literature of allergic reactions to lecithin derived from soy. However, allergy to lecithin derived from soy has been neither definitively established nor definitively negated by oral food challenge studies. Despite its widespread use in the food supply, FDA is aware of only a few allergen-related complaints about FDA-regulated products containing lecithin derived from soy. Also, FDA is aware that some clinicians believe that foods containing lecithin derived from soy present little or no allergic risk to soy-sensitive consumers, and these physicians do not advise their soy allergic patients to avoid lecithin derived from soy.17

Quite simply, this is a gray area that you and your physician should discuss to determine what is right for your family.

Once you find your favorite chocolate products, I suggest you stock up. Chocolate has a very long shelf life. While the manufacturers often label the expiration date as eighteen months after packaging, chocolate can keep much longer if it is stored in a cool, dry spot. Chocolate does have a tendency to separate when it’s exposed to very warm or very cold temperatures. When this happens, you will notice a white or gray coating on the chocolate, referred to as bloom. If you are using the chocolate for baking, this is nothing to be concerned about; it can still be melted and used in your recipes. I don’t recommend storing chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer. If you are ordering by mail or online, keep in mind that many vendors will not ship chocolate during the warmer months due to the possibility of melting.

Remember that chocolate is a fat. Does that mean you should avoid it? Absolutely not! I would never think of depriving you of chocolate, but it is something to be aware of as you are baking. You may be able to use less of other fats in your chocolate recipes. For example, a cake that requires 8 tablespoons of shortening may only need 6—or even 4—if you are using baking chocolate or chocolate chips.

Another thing to keep in mind about chocolate is that it is acidic. This means that you will see an immediate lift reaction when using baking soda. In some chocolate recipes, baking soda (or baking soda and vinegar) may be the only leavening agents needed, such as in the Basic Chocolate Cupcakes that follow.

Basic Chocolate Cupcakes

Legend has it that during World War II, when eggs and butter were rationed, a version of chocolate cake called Wacky Cake (also known as Crazy Cake or other similar terms) became very popular. Some would argue that the Wacky Cake goes back even further—to the Depression. It got its name because—well, who would have expected that you could make a cake without eggs or dairy? It turns out it was easy and inexpensive. Of course the bakers of the early twentieth century didn’t realize it, but they were baking (nearly) allergen-free! It’s just one step further to replacing the wheat with gluten-free grains as I did here.

This recipe uses simple ingredients. If your daughter tells you at the last minute that she needs cupcakes for school tomorrow, chances are you’ll have everything you need to prepare these. Total time from start to finish is just under half an hour. Double the recipe for a larger batch, or for a double-layer cake.

Notice how the cocoa powder interacts with the baking soda and the vinegar to provide the lift for the cupcakes.

Double Chocolate Muffins

In the last recipe just one type of chocolate was used—cocoa powder. Here, the chocolate taste is provided by unsweetened chocolate, chocolate hemp milk, and the added chocolate chips, resulting in a pastry that is less sweet than the cupcakes—and quite suitable for breakfast.

Note that the two fats—the shortening and the chocolate—are melted together and combined before adding them to the wet ingredients. This ensures that the chocolate spreads evenly in the batter.

Triple-Play Chocolate Cake

What’s better than just one or two types of chocolate? You guessed it—three! I love layering the tastes of different types of chocolate together. In this Triple-Play Chocolate Cake I have also combined the textures of flaxseed gel and applesauce to give the cake a rich—almost fudgy—texture. While I haven’t skimped on the sugar, using applesauce allowed me to reduce the amount of fat needed in the recipe.

I like this cake best with Creamy Vanilla Frosting but for a truly decadent treat, try it with a double recipe of chocolate Ganache. This is a special-occasion cake. It’s sweet, it’s moist, and it is most definitely chocolate!

Ganache

Ganache is typically made with chocolate and heavy cream, resulting in a dense coating for cakes or pastries. It’s pourable when slightly cooled, and hardens when completely cooled. Ganache will have a slight sheen to it when set, making it a very nice cake topping. My recipe uses a combination of shortening and non-dairy milk in place of the cream, but the result is just as good.

Not All Chocolate Is the Same

Earlier I touched on the fact that there is little consistency in how chocolate products are labeled, and that the quality (and taste) of chocolate can vary tremendously. Of course, “better” is a matter of personal preference; some of us like our chocolate sweeter and smoother, and others prefer it grainier and more bitter. While you can get a sense of how sweet the chocolate is by looking at the product labels (either by the cacao percentage or the sugar content), the only way to really tell the quality of chocolate is to taste it.

It’s also true that not all chocolate products perform the same way. Slight shifts in fat-to-sugar ratios, the quality of the cacao beans, and the presence (or lack of) an emulsifier (e.g., soy lecithin) can all make a difference in your recipes. To demonstrate how chocolate can vary, I have devised an experiment for you, which tests how quickly the Eggless Chocolate Mousse (which follows) will set when made with two different chocolate chips. I have chosen the chocolate mousse for this test because chocolate is clearly the dominant taste and because this dessert can be made relatively quickly and then observed as it sets. In the first batch I use Enjoy Life Mini Chips, and in the second batch I use Schokinag Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (available in the United States from King Arthur Flour).

First, let’s take a look at the ingredients as listed on the packages:

Enjoy Life Mini Chips: Evaporated cane juice, chocolate liquor, non-dairy cocoa butter (with 5 grams of fat and 7 grams of sugar)

Schokinag Bittersweet Chocolate Chips: Cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, pure vanilla (with 6 grams of fat and 6 grams of sugar)

The ingredient lists of both products are very similar, with the Enjoy Life chips having slightly more sugar, and the other chips have a little bit more fat and soy lecithin added as an emulsifier. Now, let’s experiment:

The behavior and Taste of Different Chocolate Chips in Baking

Preparation: Prepare the Eggless Chocolate Mousse twice, using a different chocolate chip each time. Keep all other ingredients constant. This experiment is best done with a partner, so that two batches of chocolate mousse can be prepared simultaneously. Be sure to have all of the ingredients ready to go for both batches of chocolate mousse before you begin.

After baking: Let the mousse cool and transfer it to the serving dishes. Use the same size and type of serving dishes for both batches. Mark the batches so that you will be able to tell which is which (I used a string around the base of one set of serving dishes).

Observe: Notice how each of these products behaves differently. Here’s what I observed:

Prior to refrigeration: The mousse made with Enjoy Life chips appeared to be slightly thicker right after mixing. Both batches appeared to be thickening equally after cooling for 30 minutes.

During refrigeration: The Schokinag batch was gelling quite well at 1 hour, and was fully set at 2 hours. The Enjoy Life batch still had some pour up the sides of the serving bowl at 1 hour, and at 2 hours it was gelling. While there was no movement whatsoever with the chocolate mousse made from the Schokinag chips at 4 hours, the chocolate mousse made from the Enjoy Life chips never totally set, even after 8 hours.

After refrigeration: The mousse made with the Enjoy Life chips was creamy and had a smooth chocolate taste. The mousse made with the Schokinag chips was grainier, and had a hint of a bitter chocolate taste.

Besides the noticeable difference in taste, I concluded that the presence of the soy lecithin in the ingredients does help the mousse set. As a single serving dish, either chocolate chip will work equally well. If I were planning to make a chocolate mousse tart (which would require slicing), I would choose a chocolate chip with soy lecithin (unless you must avoid soy lecithin). Try the same experiment on your own, with different chocolate chips to explore the taste and properties of the chocolate.

Eggless Chocolate Mousse

Some recipes made with eggs are really all about the eggs. For example, French toast without the eggs is really just fried bread. Chocolate mousse, on the other hand, while traditionally made with eggs, is really all about the chocolate—and yes, it can be made without eggs.

While the time spent actually preparing this dessert is minimal (20 minutes, tops), it must be refrigerated prior to serving. That makes it a great choice to prepare ahead for special occasions when you’d rather spend time with family and friends than slave away in the kitchen.

Serve this plain or with Whipped Coconut Cream and allergen-free chocolate shavings.

4½ teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 6 tablespoons chocolate hemp milk (equal to 3 eggs)

Chocolate No-Nut Crisp

It can be difficult to find a chocolate bar that is made without milk (or traces of milk and nuts). This chocolate crisp is a make-your-own candy bar that can be prepared in minutes, without turning the oven on. Use your favorite non-dairy chocolate, or try this with different chocolates to see which you prefer. See allergen-free chocolate options.

For a special treat, spread a layer of sunflower seed butter (available at the grocery store) between two pieces of chocolate crisp. Yum!

Chocolate Cranberry Rice Cookies

A cookie that you don’t have to bake? You betcha! This cookie reminds me of chocolate lace. My twist on that classic cookie is gluten-free and allergen-free, and adds the surprise of cranberries. Like the Chocolate No-Nut Crisp, this is made on the stovetop, and can be prepared in minutes.

Basic Brownies

My all-time favorite dessert is the chocolate brownie. I love the simplicity of a brownie with a rich chocolate taste. Brownies are easy to prepare—it’s a simple batter. And they’re easy to serve as finger food—no plates or utensils are needed.

Most brownie recipes (including gluten-free and dairy-free versions) contain eggs—sometimes as many as three or four. The trick to making a brownie without eggs is to keep the sugar content low; too much sugar and the brownies will burn. My version uses flaxseed gel instead of eggs, which helps to give the brownies texture and hold them together. The result is the perfect medium between a fudgy and a cakey brownie. I’ve also chosen to use unsweetened baking chocolate—both for the low sugar content and the high fat content, which helps to give these brownies a subtle sheen.

Chocolate 1-2-3