Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Recipes › Global list of substitutes for ingredients
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Global list of substitutes for ingredients

post #1 of 49
2/25/11 at 6:04pm
Thread Starter 
Let's establish a global list of substitutes and definitions of cake decorating ingredients, etc.

"What's half and half?" "What does a stick of butter weigh?"

"What are Graham Crackers?" "What is Dream Whip?"

"We don't have Crisco; can I use Copha?" "Is that a 20ml or 15ml Tblspn?

How often do we read similar queries on CC?

We're spread across the world and I know I'm not the only one who is sometimes confused by cake decorating ingredients that don't exist in Australia, or wherever.

I would like to establish a Google doc where we can share substitutes and definitions around the globe. I need your help!

Could CCers please post relevant details or queries here so that I can get started on integrating the information? Don't forget to identify the country of relevance.

Thank you Melvira for your advice and everyone in anticipation of your input.
All the best,
Cheryl
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
post #2 of 49
2/25/11 at 11:51pm
Good idea icon_smile.gif I always have this problem here in NZ.

We don't have corn syrup here, but we have glucose. To make it the same consistency as corn syrup, put two teaspoons of warm water into a measuring cup, then fill it up to the 1/2 cup mark with glucose, and stir it in.

Half & Half - I use lite cream.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 49
2/26/11 at 12:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by zespri

Good idea icon_smile.gif I always have this problem here in NZ.

We don't have corn syrup here, but we have glucose. To make it the same consistency as corn syrup, put two teaspoons of warm water into a measuring cup, then fill it up to the 1/2 cup mark with glucose, and stir it in.

Half & Half - I use lite cream.



In the UK, I believe corn syrup if Golden Syrup - at least that's what I use. If I'm wrong it'd be nice to know.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 49
2/26/11 at 1:26am
Thread Starter 
This is great! Good to hear from you.

Zespri, I understand you started the thread" Kiwis check in here!"? Given The horrific earthquake you are currently dealing with, I feel it's not appropriate for me to ask for any input from your friends at this stage. My thoughts are with you and with everyone in Christchurch and New Zealand. Hopefully, in time, some of your friends may like to have some input here. Thank you for yours.

I also note your comments in the above-mentioned thread that a USA cup is 240mls and a NZ cup is 250 mls (250mls in Australia too.)

Also that a NZ tablespoon is 15mls whilst an Austalian tablespoon is 20mls.
Who'd like to define an English, American or European tablespoon? I think in Europe they talk in mls and grams - no spoon or cup measures; is this right?
Chala86 - my own comment on corn syrup vs golden syrup would be that golden syrup is thicker, sweeter, darker and stronger in flavour; we have both in Australia. Any other comments on this?

Thanks again for your input; please keep it coming.
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
post #5 of 49
2/26/11 at 1:34am
oh boy.. this could be a long one. I am an American expat living in Ireland. It has taken me 7 years to manage my way thru the translations!

Half and Half is half milk half cream. If you are in Uk or those type places, DONT use double cream. I have found that different countries produce creams with different fat contents... Whipping cream = UK double cream. Lite cream = regular UK cream or all Irish creams.

Corn Syrup is best replaced with Golden syrup - the off shoot from sugar refining. In fact, I prefer to use Golden syrup rather than importing corn syrup.

Crisco is a vegetable fat shortening - pure white in colour and very soft. The closest thing I can find here to it is Trex (and they have stopped carrying in in Ireland icon_cry.gif ). It is NOT coconut oil, it is NOT margarine...

When US says semi-sweet chocolate they mean approximately 50- 60% cocoa content. Bittersweet is 68-72% cocoa content.
A "stick" of butter is a quarter of a pound - 4 ounces or 114grams.

Dreamwhip is a non-dairy whipped topping = sold under the name Angel Delight or Tesco makes an equivalent and puts the word delight in its name - be sure to use the VANILLA only.
Vanilla extract is NOT vanilla essence!
Cake flour cannot be bought in Europe - the EU doesn't allow bleached flour to cross our lips.
HTH
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 49
2/26/11 at 1:44am
Thread Starter 
OK; so let's look at a few other puzzles:

A stick of butter in the States is, I understand, 4oz in the UK and approximately 125gms in Australia and Europe.


Crisco in the States is Copha in Australia. What about elsewhere?
Zespri, you mentioned that you use lite cream for half and half. I always wondered what that was. Any other thoughts on this?

This is great input; please keep it coming.

I just need to work out how to get this into a Google doc to make it more user friendly.
All the best,
Cheryl
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
post #7 of 49
2/26/11 at 1:47am
Thread Starter 
Fantastic Sabriana; thank you so much for your input.
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
post #8 of 49
2/26/11 at 2:57am
1 tablespoon in the UK is 15ml
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 49
2/26/11 at 3:11am
Thread Starter 
Thanks Chala.
Wonder where the Aussie 20ml teaspoon came from. Is it 20mls in the States?
All the best,
cheryl
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
post #10 of 49
2/26/11 at 3:22am
Thanks sabriana, you broke it down,living in the UK I'm tired of looking for stuff I can't get.I usually just get on with it or just experiment till i'm happy or at least make sure the product is acceptable. Thanks Cher2309b for starting this thread,i'm sure it'll fly.
Judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Reply
Judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.
Reply
post #11 of 49
2/26/11 at 4:45am
Here's another one -

Graham Crackers are Digestive Biscuits...

I can't think of any other items at the moment but will keep checking back.

By the way, Butter in America is sold in one pound boxes - made up of 4 individually wrapped sticks - which is why we Yanks think of sticks... a stick is also equivalent to 1/2c. of butter which is the other way people write their recipes.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 49
2/26/11 at 5:25am
I just tested the US tablespoon and it's 15 ml. I have a nifty measured and kitchen scale so I'm happy to contribute any US conversions if you need them.
Because the CC notifications are a little flaky, PM me if there is anything that no one responds to state side.
Visit me at www.keeponcaking.com for tutorials and other cake stuff.
Reply
Visit me at www.keeponcaking.com for tutorials and other cake stuff.
Reply
post #13 of 49
2/26/11 at 2:21pm
Thread Starter 
So Graham Crackers are digestive biscuits? They're wholemeal or half wholemeal aren't they? I've always used Arnott's milk coffee or milk arrowroot biscuits as a substitute. They work but they're smooth and white.

We now know that half and half is half milk and half cream. I've also read that you can substitute evaporated milk for half and half.

What other ingredients confuse people?
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.
Reply
post #14 of 49
2/26/11 at 2:57pm
In Mexico, butter is sold in 90gr sticks, which is not a big problem: 2 1/2 sticks here is equal to 2 sticks (225gr) in American recipes. The teaspoon here is also 15ml, but the cup is 250ml, as it is in Australia. This isn't a biggie, since all my measuring cups are measured in both ounces and milliliters.

No such thing as Dream Whip, Cool Whip or cake flour here, either, but the most common brand of shortening is Manteca Inca, which works just fine - I think it's the same as Crisco.

I just love the idea of this thread, Cher2309b,and hope it grows and grows. I'll certainly let you know if I think of anything else. By the way, these aren't ingredients, but it's extremely hard to come by rubber spatulas, wire cooling racks and the ever-present kitchen sponge here!
Marianna
"I know my own mind...and it's around here somewhere!"
Reply
Marianna
"I know my own mind...and it's around here somewhere!"
Reply
post #15 of 49
2/26/11 at 3:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sabriana

Dreamwhip is a non-dairy whipped topping = sold under the name Angel Delight or Tesco makes an equivalent and puts the word delight in its name - be sure to use the VANILLA only.
HTH



Hi Sabriana,

Would you care to share the exact name of the Dream Whip equiv that Tesco sells? The one you mentioned Angel Delight isn't the one that Tesco produces, is it? Sorry I'm a bit confused. .. icon_redface.gif
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Recipes
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Recipes › Global list of substitutes for ingredients