Casein-Free Substitutes for Sour Cream
- Tofu "sour cream" enhances a baked potato.stuffed baked potato image by Brett Mulcahy from Fotolia.com
The standard substitutes for sour cream, such as yogurt or buttermilk, can be useless if you have an allergy to casein. Casein is a protein found in the milk of all animals, as well as all milk products. For someone who has discovered she is allergic to casein, this could sound like the death knell for that fluffy baked potato piled high with toppings. Fortunately, there are some nondairy substitutes available. - Sour cream substitutes made with tofu are available in natural-food stores, health-food stores and some grocery stores, usually in the refrigerated or dairy section. Their names may not include the word "cream," but they will include the word "sour." Tofutti's Sour Supreme, a soy-based product, can be substituted for sour cream in any recipe. Tofutti also makes Guacamole Sour Supreme and the non-hydrogenated Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream. Galaxy Nutritional Foods makes one called Vegan Sour Cream Alternative.
- Using a food processor, blend until smooth ½ lb. soft, medium or silken tofu with 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 3 tbsp. canola oil, 2 tsp. white or rice vinegar and ½ tsp. salt. Add other ingredients to taste, such as 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. chives and 2 tsp. parsley.
- Many cake recipes call for sour cream. Soft or silken tofu works fine, if you blend it well before adding it to the recipe. Blended medium tofu works, too, if you like a denser cake. You will also need to blend in 2 tbsp. lemon or lime juice with each cup of tofu, if the recipe doesn't already call for a sour ingredient such as lemon or orange juice. Some cake recipes actually include tofu instead of sour cream.
- Make your own soy yogurt to substitute for sour cream. If you don't have a yogurt maker, place 3 inches of warm water in a slow cooker at the warm setting. Warm 4 cups of soy milk to 194º F. Allow it to cool until a drop on your wrist feels neither hot nor cold. In a small bowl, whisk 2 to 3 tbsp. plain yogurt or nondairy acidophilus until smooth. Add 1 cup of the warmed soy milk, ½ cup at a time, stirring until the yogurt is well-blended. Then pour the mixture back into the rest of the soy milk and stir well. Divide the milk into cups and cover tightly. Place them into the slow cooker and turn it off; temperatures over 110º F will kill the bacteria. Cover and wait about four to five hours. Remove the cups and refrigerate. After 12 hours, the yogurt will have firmed up, ready for use.
