Basic Ingredient Substitutions

Just because you cant buy or don't have that particular ingredient in your kitchen cupboard, it does not mean you cant cook the recipe. I cook with what I have handy at my home. I really don't go about searching for ingredients which I seldom use or hard to find. And this means I substitute alot very often. So I have shared with you a list of substitution for ingredients which are (sometimes / always) not available in the pantry of an amateur cook. Ingredients include both that are used in cooking and baking. I hope you will find this helpful.

INGREDIENT	INGREDIENT QTY	SUBSTITUTE IT WITH	SUBSTITUTION QUANTITY
All Spice	1 tsp	1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder + 1/2 tsp Ginger Powder + 1/2 tsp Clove Powder
Almond Meal	1 Cup / 100 gms	To make your own almond meal. place 1 cup (100 grams) (240 ml) sliced (blanched (skins off) or natural (skins on)) almonds with 1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar in a blender or food processor and process until finely ground. Sugar or flour is added to the almonds to prevent clumping as it absorbs the oil exuded from the almonds. Toasting the almonds first dries them which also helps to prevent clumping.	1 Cup / 100 gms
Almond Paste	1 1/3 cups	1 1/3 cups (320 ml) (300 grams)1 3/4 cups (175 grams) (420 ml) ground blanched almonds plus 1 1/2 cups (175 grams) (360 ml) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar plus 1 large egg white (30 grams) plus 1 teaspoon almond extract plus 1/4 teaspoon salt .
Arrowroot Starch	1 tbsp	Cornstarch / potato starch	1 tbsp
		OR Plain Flour	2 tbsp
Baking Powder Double Acting	1 tsp for every 1 cup of flour	Single Acting Baking Powder	1.5 tsp
Baking Powder Single Acting	1 tsp	Double Acting Baking Powder	⅔ tsp
Brown Sugar	1 Cup Packed	1 Cup White Sugar + ¼ cup molasses and decrease liquid in recipe by ¼ cup
Bread Flour	1 Cup / 160 gms	All Purpose Flour	1 Cup / 130 gms
Buttermilk	1 Cup	1 Cup Whole Milk + 1 tbsp Lemon Juice rest for 10 mins OR ¼ Cup milk + ¾ cup of plain yogurt
Cake Flour	1 Cup / 120 gms	3/4th cup All purpose flour + 2 tbsp Cornstarch
Chocolate Unsweetened	30 gms	3 tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder + 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter / Vegetable Oil
Cocoa Powder Unsweetened	3 tbsp	3 tbsp Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder + ⅛ tsp Creme of Tartar / Vinegar / Lime Juice
Cocoa Powder Dutch Processed	3 tbsp	3tbsp Natural Cocoa Powder + ⅛ tsp Baking Powder
Cottage Cheese	1 Cup	Ricotta Cheese	1 Cup
Confectioner’s Sugar	1 Cup	1 Cup Granulated Sugar + 1 tbsp Cornstarch processed in a blender till fine and sifted
Corn Syrup	1 Cup	Honey	1 Cup
Cream Cheese	1 Cup	Pureed Cottage Cheese	1 Cup
Creme Fraiche	1 Cup	1 Cup Sour Cream / Mascarpone Cheese
		OR 1 Cup Whipping Cream + 1 tbsp Buttermilk / Yogurt OR ½ Cup Whipping Cream + ½ cup Sour Cream
Cream of Tartar	½ tsp	½ tsp white vinegar / lemon juice
Cream, Half & Half	1 Cup	⅞ cup (210ml) Full cream milk + 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter
Cream, Heavy	1 Cup	⅔ cup Whole milk + ⅓ cup (75gms) melted unsalted butter
Cream, Light Whipping	1 Cup	¾ cup whole milk + ¼ cup (57gms) melted unsalted butter
Gelatin	1 tbsp Granulated	Agar Agar	2 tsp
Greek Yogurt
Hazelnuts	1 Cup	Almonds	1 Cup
Lemon Grass	2 Fresh Stalks	Lemon Zest	1 tbsp
Molasses	1 Cup	¾ cup brown sugar + 1 tsp creme of tartar
Pastry Flour	2 Cups / 270 gms	1 ⅓ cup Plain Flour + ⅔ Cup cake flour
Potato Starch	1 tbsp	Corn Starch	1 tbsp
Red Wine	1 Cup	1 Cup Grape Juice / Pomegranate Juice / cranberry juice
Ricotta Cheese	1 Cup	Dry Cottage Cheese	1 Cup
Self Raising Flour	1 Cup / 130 gms	1 Cup flour + 1.5 tsp Baking Powder + ¼ tsp Salt
Sour Cream	1 Cup	1 Cup Plain Yogurt OR 1 Cup Milk + 1 tbsp Lime juice / Vinegar and rest 10 mins
White Wine	1 Cup	1 Cup Apple Juice / White Grape Juice
Wine	1 Cup	1 Cup Chicken / Beef Broth OR 1 Cup Fruit Juice + 2 tsp Vinegar OR 1 Cup Water