Help Needed Finding a Baking Ingredient

[FayeW]

I have a very good friend who now lives in England. I sent her my recipe for my super delicious chocolate chip cookies and she is having trouble finding an ingredient so I hope you can help.

The recipe calls for shortening, which, in North America is sort of like butter, but it is used only for baking (or frying with), but not something you would ever just eat, like on toast or bread. It isn't as flavourful as butter or margarine, and has a little firmer consistency. Sort of like lard, but made with vegetable/soybean oil. Do you have a product like this that you use for baking? Is it called a different name by any chance?

The recipe already calls for butter or margarine as well, so substituting that for the shortening won't work ( I tried that once when I was out of shortening, and the cookies weren't very good). Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[wifey]

Flora manufacture a special cooking fat here just for this type of baking it's great for pastries so your friend should be able to get some in our larger supermarkets No need to usse awful lard

 

[KayleeUK]

Could you share the receipe with us

 

[natalielongstaff]

Could you share the receipe with us

are you sure you want a recipe for chocolate cookies kaylee

 

[Lizzybear]

I think Trex would work (this is the brand name of it and AFAIK most supermarkets don't do their own version) My mum uses it a lot.. It's just like lard but made with plant not animals oils and is white rather than yellowish like butter or margarine

 

[Claire L]

Flora manufacture a special cooking fat here just for this type of baking it's great for pastries so your friend should be able to get some in our larger supermarkets No need to usse awful lard

Yes White Flora, not as good as it used to be but still acceptable to baking and roasting

Claire

 

[Minniespal]

are you sure you want a recipe for chocolate cookies kaylee

I wouldn't mind it either

 

[KayleeUK]

are you sure you want a recipe for chocolate cookies kaylee

Bllomin eck, you spotted me

 

[Netty]

Could you share the receipe with us

I wouldn't mind it either

 

[FayeW]

Thanks for the help! I've sent the info on Flora and Trex to my friend. Now if she could only find chocolate chips... (She said she can't find chocolate chips and may have to use Smarties or cut up a bar of milk chocolate).

Here is the recipe:

3/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1/2 margarine or butter
1/2 Shortening
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C Milk Choc chips

Heat oven to 375. Beat together brown sugar, sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in Choc chips. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 8-10 mins (Actually, I make mine pretty big so it usually takes about 12-14 mins for them).

If you don't have one already, you should get one of those baking stones. I always burned the cookies and biscuits on the bottom but they are perfect with the baking stones.

 

[Booknut]

Thanks for the help! I've sent the info on Flora and Trex to my friend. Now if she could only find chocolate chips... (She said she can't find chocolate chips and may have to use Smarties or cut up a bar of milk chocolate).

Here is the recipe:

3/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1/2 margarine or butter
1/2 Shortening
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C Milk Choc chips

Heat oven to 375. Beat together brown sugar, sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in Choc chips. Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 8-10 mins (Actually, I make mine pretty big so it usually takes about 12-14 mins for them).

If you don't have one already, you should get one of those baking stones. I always burned the cookies and biscuits on the bottom but they are perfect with the baking stones.

Most grocery stores have chocolate chips - Tesco and Sainsburys both have them in both Milk and regular chocolate.

There are also some internet stores like this one:

http://www.letseatdirect.com/cgi-bin/ss000000.pl?SS=crisco&PR=-1&TB=A&SHOP=

They sell lots of products and have Crisco which is shortening and would make those delicious cookies as authentic as possible!

 

[KayleeUK]

Thanks Faye :thumbsup

Maybe I wont make them until I have finished my diet

 

[natalielongstaff]

Thanks Faye :thumbsup

Maybe I wont make them until I have finished my diet

the diet police are everywhere hun

 

[FayeW]

Thanks for the link, I've forwarded that to my friend as well.

 

[wifey]

Most supermarkets stock Supercook chocolate chips in milk or plain chocolate flavour you can always substitute them with Cadburys chocolate buttons if you don't like the flavour of the chocolate chips or chop up a bar of your preferred brand

 

[Netty]

the diet police are everywhere hun