Posted by
wcman
19 yrs ago
Hi guys, I'm trying to figure if First Choice canola spread or light olive oil spread margarine is suitable for baking cakes or biscuits.
I heard from somewhere that marg is suitable for baking but only if it doesn't have a high water content.
Any super chefs out there with experience in these matters :) ?
Thanks in advance
Please support our advertisers:
from my experience "spread" type margarines are no good. you need "stick" margarine - which they also sell. their consistency is similar to butter.
but - may I ask why not butter? With all the transfat and additives in margarine, butter in some regards is the better option. (tastes better too.)
Please support our advertisers:
hkkm
19 yrs ago
I haven't seen "stick" margarine here. The closest I have seen is Crisco, which I use for pie crusts but wouldn't use for cakes and biscuits. For these, I would use butter. After all, they are a treat, so why not make them nice!
Please support our advertisers:
Yes, wcman, the spreadable margs in a tub contains too much water for baking.
Cakes and pastry, IMO, should be made with butter, which nowadays is regarded the healthy choice - remember when it was the other way around?! - unless you can find White Flora which is good for pastry and Stork which is good for baking.
Now there is the backlash against margarine because of the trans fats with places like New York banning it.
Australian margarine manufacturers voluntarily reduced the level of trans fats in their margarines to less than 1%, many are around the 0.63% mark. And fortunately, from time to time, we can find a block Australian margarine with less than 1% trans fat in ParknShop here in Hong Kong, sitting beside the butter (in fact it does contain some milk). I use this for the few recipes which only work with block margarine and the results are perfect.
Please support our advertisers:
Try Oliver's in Prince Bldg. They have a lot of new products in that area...........including organic.
Perhaps 360 as well.
I don't use Margarine ever but I see lots of recipes that call for half butter and half margarine.
Please support our advertisers:
I have been using spreadable margerine (Meadow Lea brand, mostly) for over 20 years in hong kong and have never had a problem - it is great for cakes and cookies alike. You can get it in most supermarkets and don't have to pay silly prices. It is not so good for pastry, when I prefer stick margerine or butter and lard (half-half; makes very light pastry).
Gillian
Please support our advertisers:
You must be logged in to be able to reply.
Login now
Copy Link
Facebook
Gmail
Mail