December 2012 Grocery Challenge!!!!! REALLLY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Suffolk_lass

Coxy11 wrote: »

I had a bit of a disaster on Saturday as I made a chocolate pavlova and used double cream which I had frozen. I defrosted it during the day, in the fridge, but it had little blobs in it. Tasted fine so I know it wasn't off, but very embarrassing when you are cooking for a chef :eek: Any ideas where I went wrong?

Coxy

Hi Coxy, When you freeze cream or milk the fat can separate into little lumps of butterfat. As you say, it is fine, not off or anything. The danger, if you try and deal with it by whipping is that you over beat it and end up with butter! You can sieve it through muslin or a nylon sieve but then you lose some of the "heavy cream" and this doesn't totally eradicate it. I'd rather eat it with little lumps than waste it. It's fine in ice cream by the way!

SL

Honey_Bear

Coxy If you whip double cream before you freeze it, it won't separate.

I'm being given an electric slicer for Christmas, and opened the box last night because I need to use it later today. The blade in the machine is serrated, and there's another one that is just plain. The instructions don't give any guidance on which blade to use for which food. Does anyone know?

Suffolk_lass

This was my first year of GC and I'm declaring at 99.47% of my annual budget having almost entirely spent my humungous budget for December. I have got twenty to feed over Christmas and loads of alcohol in now... Both fridges, both freezers and the ice chest are stacked to the gunnels. Seriously considering a catering freezer for the garage for the future.

Have a great Christmas everyone and well done and thanks to all the organisers and top advice over the year.

Next year I'm going to change the way I shop and budget and start paying down my horrible mortgage as much as we can with any underspend so I've signed up for the Mortgage Free in Three (tranche 3) challenge. I'll still pop in to GC but I'm going for an annual/weekly split.

All the best
SL

tessie_bear

merry christmas and a fab 2013 to all grocery challengers

thankyou for all your positivity and ideas this year....see you next year

tess

storytime

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Coxy If you whip double cream before you freeze it, it won't separate.

I'm being given an electric slicer for Christmas, and opened the box last night because I need to use it later today. The blade in the machine is serrated, and there's another one that is just plain. The instructions don't give any guidance on which blade to use for which food. Does anyone know?

When I had an electric knife it used both blades but if you don't have a slot for both then I would say the serrated is for bread and the plain for meat. Good luck!

liz-paul

Honey bear - what kind of slicer did you get? I want to get one in the new year & would like to hear any recommendations!

Honey_Bear

Thanks Storytime.

It's a Greaf, Liz Paul. I'm told it's a very good one, but I'm still trying to figure out how it works! What is it with new domestic electrical items - the instructions area always woefully inadequate. From the box and leaflet I can't even work out which model it is!

meg72

Honey_Bear wrote: »

Coxy If you whip double cream before you freeze it, it won't separate.

I'm being given an electric slicer for Christmas, and opened the box last night because I need to use it later today. The blade in the machine is serrated, and there's another one that is just plain. The instructions don't give any guidance on which blade to use for which food. Does anyone know?

I have a Kenwood slicer which has only one blade a plain one, this does meat and cheese very well but is not so good with bread. So I think your serated one is for bread.

Honey_Bear

Thanks Meg 72. I've tried slicing a ham I cooked yesterday with both, and the serrated blade tore it quite badly, so I tried the blade one without teeth, and it was much more successful. I then swopped the blades around and tried the serrated on a loaf made this morning, and it is brilliant! So, I think you're right.

meg72

Well trundled off to Asda, very grudgingly but determined to get my refund from yesterday,Oh my I think the whole world and its grandmother,in a wheelchair,had decided to leave their shopping until today,it was dire.

I got my refund of 5.11 butwas refused the gift card for overcharging as,
I still trying to work this out,my refund apparently was more than the card So I think they are saying the more they overcharge you the less apology you get (didnt get one actually) Was in the mood to take it further but felt sorry for the folks behind me So will email Head Office and tell them what I think of their policy.

Did relieve them of 15.00 worth of stirfrys and prepared carrots and swede for 3.00 so felt a bit better. Carrots and swede now in dyhdrator
to be used for soup. Which I shall rename Revenge soup:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: