When people think of pastries, they usually imagine rich, buttery, and sometimes flaky baked goods. Although, as the vegetarian and vegan bakery trends expand, food manufacturers are beginning to offer more plant-based solutions for these bakery products. IBIE is less than a week away, and I am really looking forward to seeing what sweet vegan treats will be there and how they are made to satisfy consumers looking for plant-based goods.

Generally, vegetarian and vegan baking is a type of specialty baking that include sweet and savory products made in compliance with the strict requirements established by the respective plant-based diet. However, the vegan diet is stricter than the vegetarian diet, meaning bakery ingredients like eggs, milk, honey, gelatin, plus animal fats, and mixed shortenings cannot be used. If you know anything about patisserie and pastry production, you’ll know that they require shortening or plenty of butter, if the dough is laminated.

Vegan and Plant-based Pastry

While formulating chemically leavened goods for the vegan bakery trend can be very challenging, with pastries all it takes is finding the right fat to achieve the desired taste and texture. At this year’s Baking Expo, I’ll be keen to see what plant-based alternatives and ingredients are available for the vegan patisserie segment. I have no doubt that these bakery trends will continue to grow in the coming years, so it’s safe to say that those who are innovating in this space now will be the front-runners in no time!

Learn more about what other trends you can expect to see at this year’s Baking Expo here!