Trail Pancakes – Ingredient Substitutions

[Chris Jones]

I would reckon that a lot of backpackers bag up pancake ready mixes out of convenience for pancakes on the trail. The one I use calls for milk (150 mL) and a medium-sized egg.

I am thinking of substituting powdered milk and ground flax seed for the wet ingredients so I can create a "just add water mix".

Questions.

1. Are these the most sensible substitutions to proceed with? If not, what would be your suggestions.

2. Assuming that the answer to (1) is yes, what amounts of powdered milk and ground flax seed would be ideal?

3. Blueberries! What's the best method for incorporating blueberries in pancakes? Do you just throw in a handful of dried blueberries, or do you presoak them a little before adding them in?

Thanks…

[Bob Gross]

I would use air dehydrated egg powder, about one spoonful at a time. You can get real whole egg powder, or you can get whites-only egg powder. Milk powder is simple.

Personally, I find dried blueberries to be a little underwhelming. Generally, the first cup of boiling water in the morning goes for coffee or tea. At that time, splash some on the dried blueberries. Then, some minutes later, you mix up the pancake batter with wet blueberries.

Some dried blueberries are coated in sunflower oil as a preservative. The oil keeps them from absorbing water. So, shop around for some dried blueberries without coating. They look worse but rehydrate better.
–B.G.–

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Presoak and then drain well before adding for berries – though fresh is best of course ;-)

On milk powder I use 1/3 cup dry for every cup of fluid milk (but this isn't exact of course, you could use 1 Tbsp dry milk powder say if 1/4 cup milk was called for and then add in that 1/4 cup water to equal.)

On eggs, yes flax will work but if you eat dairy I'd recommend dried eggs or dried egg whites. Better tasting. The eggs will list the percentage for using in baked goods (say 1 Tbsp dried egg plus 1 Tbsp water equals 1 egg).

Just keep track of the water amounts needed to equal fresh and you will be doing great when you make the pancakes.

[JR Redding]

You could use a banana in place of the eggs, or a couple tablespoons of corn starch.

[jj]

NRG egg replacer works great in pancakes

[Chris Jones]

I am not familiar with NRG egg replacer. Is that the name of the product? What is is exactly?

[Robert Alston]

You do know there are some pretty good pancake mixes that you only add water to? This is one place where I don't see any value in trying to reinvent the wheel.

[Laurie Ann March]

This is from A Fork in the Trail's chapter on Recipe Creation. This bit appears on pages 26 and 27.

"You can purchase egg powder that is suitable for baking but not for use as scrambled eggs. If you have an allergy to eggs or you are vegan, you can purchase egg-free egg replacer at your local health food store.

If you prefer, you can make your own egg replacer. It is similar to egg whites and works well in white cakes, muffins, and cookies. The addition of oil mimics a whole egg in baking. To make the equivalent of one egg, mix 1 1/2 teaspoons tapioca starch, 1 1/2 teaspoons potato starch (sometimes found with the Kosher foods), and 1/8 teaspoon baking powder together and store it in a ziplock freezer bag. Then when you’re ready to use it at camp, add 1/4 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Beat the mixture with a fork until it becomes a little foamy.

Ground flax seed can be used in muffins, breads, or other baked goods, but it imparts a flavor that might be unpleasant in a cake or cookies. Keep the ground flax seed cool and away from air and light to prevent it from becoming rancid; this recipe is not suitable for use in hot weather or more than two days into a trip. Store the seeds in the refrigerator until you leave for your trip. To make the equivalent of one egg, use 2 tablespoons ground flax seed. If you cannot find ground flax seed, then grind whole flax seed. Pack the powder in a ziplock freezer bag, removing as much air as possible and storing it away from sources of heat and light. When you’re ready to use it, add 3 tablespoons of water to the ground flax seed and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes. Add to your recipe like you would regular eggs."

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