Butter substitute, Pumpkin cheesecake bars, Caramel icing
Using a butter substitute was discussed in my Chocolate University course. As I mentioned before, there was so much information to digest that I made notes to go back. I wanted to do my own tests and experiments and believe me the results are very interesting.
As I have said many times, I like to use top quality ingredients when I cook. Years ago when all my children were home I did a lot more cooking. Like many people with a lot of children I had to skimp in my budget. For this reason I use to use more margarine. It has been many years since I made baked goods with margarine that I couldn’t even remember there being a difference in the end product.
After reading my chocolate course, my curiosity began to get the best of me and I couldn’t wait to try this test. I was anxious to see what results I got when using a butter substitute. I wanted exact results so I decided to make a chocolate chip cookie recipe with butter and the very same recipe, only replacing the butter with margarine. To make for an even more perfect test result, I purchased both the butter and margarine of the same brand. I was thinking the quality would be more comparable.
Now remember that only I knew which cookies had the butter substitute and which ones had the real butter. Note that my recipe is for flourless cookies. (That may be another test) I do want to mention that the results could be different with another recipe which contains flour.
The first tray out of the oven was made with margarine. They looked good and smelled good. The next tray was made with the butter. Right away I could see the appearance of the cookies with the butter was much prettier. They were more round and slightly more puffy. The cookies with the butter substitute were thinner and more shapeless.
I invited my neighbors over for the taste test. Nadine grew up on a farm where they made their own butter. In her later life she has been using a butter substitute. Nadine and Bill both noticed the difference in the appearance of the cookies, asking if they were the same recipe. After tasting the cookies made with the margarine, every person there except Kelly thought they were good and a little crispy. Kelly, my daughter, complained of a strange taste in them even going as far as saying they tasted like the grocery store! Now for tasting the ones made with butter. I wish you could have seen their faces! They were all amazed that the cookies with butter tasted so much better than the ones with the butter substitute.
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Butter Substitute
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Butter, Margarine and Vegan Recipes
Not rated yet FLOURLESS COOKIES
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter and sugars. Blend in the eggs and vanilla. Add the peanut butter and soda and blend well. Add the oats, chocolate chips and coconut. Stir until well blended or you may need to blend with clean hands. Shape dough into balls (golf ball size) and arrange on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for a minute or so before removing to a cooling rack.
Recently my sister Shirley sent me two very good old recipes that she has made. The first is a chocolate fudge cake recipe that she would make for her son’s birthday. It was Mike’s favorite with a caramel frosting. She does not specify what type of solid shortening so you could use butter, margarine, a solid vegetable shortening or any butter substitute.
FUDGE LAYER CAKE
If you need to substitute Cake Flour and Sour Milk Check on the conversion Chart Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease two 8 inch cake pans; then lightly dust with cocoa powder. Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside. Add soda to boiling water and set aside. Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg yolks, beating after each. Add cocoa, salt and water mixture and blend well. Add the flour alternately with the sour milk while beating. Fold in the stiff egg whites. Pour evenly into two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until pick test done. Here is an easy caramel icing that I use. Over low heat in a skillet combine ¼ Cup butter and 1 Cup brown sugar. Heat until sugar is melted. Combine butter mixture with 4 cups of powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix adding a little milk at a time until it reaches a spreading consistency. Spread between layers, top and sides of cake.
The following pumpkin cheesecake bars, made with a butter alternative, started with Sister Donna. She gave the recipe to Sister Shirley years ago. Due to all the snow in Ohio no one could get out of their houses. Shirley dug this recipe out and decided it was a good time to bake these. They are delicious.
AUNTIES’ PUMPKIN BARS
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a bowl combine the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the margarine to make a crumb mixture. Stir in the nuts. Set aside ¾ cup of the mixture for the topping. Press remaining mixture into an 8 inch square pan. Bake for 15 minutes; Cool slightly. In a large mixer bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. Blend until smooth and pour over baked crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping. Bake another 35 to 40 minutes or until slightly firm. Cool and cut into 1x2 inch bars. Maybe if it keeps snowing up home, we will get some more good recipes from the family!
Auntie's Pumpkin Bars above For more Great Chocolate Dessert Recipes
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