Baking question: margarine or butter?

Norman_Bean

Thanks Olliebeak - I'm baking today (with butter from freezer) then that's my supply used up so I'll restock with marg and one butter for special occassions

ChocClare

I can't believe you live in Normandy and you're having to pay a EURO for butter. :eek: Can't you find a tame farmer to hook you up a cow?

Tesco value unsalted butter is not at all bad and that's 88p so not a HUGE difference, although with the exchange rate that's probably better still for you. Personally, I can't bear margarine in any shape or form so I'd rather buy butter in bulk when it's on special offer (which it often is, so you might be lucky and get two lots of eg Country Life for £1.50 when you're next over, you never know).

The only other thing if you're EATING butter rather than cooking with it is to make your own spreadable version: mix together 4oz butter (don't bother to weigh it, just chop your block in half - I know it's 125g but never mind!) with 1/3 cup of bland oil, eg vegetable oil or sunflower oil. If you've got a Kenwood chef, so much the better because you basically beat the chilled butter first until it's fluffy and a bit whiter; then gradually add in the oil as if you were making a mayonnaise (but not so fiddly). Et voilà, butter you can spread straight from the fridge and which therefore goes a bit further on your bread.


If you're cooking with butter, remember that you can substitute apple sauce, although it tastes better if you use half apple sauce, half butter. Oh come on, didn't you say you lived in NORMANDY???? What else is there in Normandy except cows and apples????!!!! :rolleyes:

triticale

STORK for baking every time for me!

Butter is saved for bread, toast and sauteeing veg.

mardatha

I use tons of butter, I cant stand marg !

zippychick

i find in tesco, their own brand isn't the cheapest per 100g?

Today i got 250g for 69p (Kerrygold pure irish butter). I don't know if that is only over here or in all tesco?

maman

I've cut right back on using butter and now it's just for when I can really taste it (mashed potato, crumpets) otherwise marg for cooking and spread (Flora type) for sandwiches. I think with sandwiches a thin scrape of spread is fine if it's a strong flavoured sandwich. Also, if it's a 'wet' sandwich with mayo or cream cheese or pickle it doesn't really need any sort of spread at all.

Norman, I noticed how expensive food was in French supermarkets when I was there in September. I'm coming over again next week. Is anything good value that you'd recommend?

powershopper

never heard of the apple sauce thing, tell me more...............

Norman_Bean

maman wrote: »

I've cut right back on using butter and now it's just for when I can really taste it (mashed potato, crumpets) otherwise marg for cooking and spread (Flora type) for sandwiches. I think with sandwiches a thin scrape of spread is fine if it's a strong flavoured sandwich. Also, if it's a 'wet' sandwich with mayo or cream cheese or pickle it doesn't really need any sort of spread at all.

Norman, I noticed how expensive food was in French supermarkets when I was there in September. I'm coming over again next week. Is anything good value that you'd recommend?

Just being nosey, where you going?

In a word No. Everything is getting soooo expensive here - I just can't wait to get to UK supermarkets and buy some bargains!

Of course vino is still a good bet but I see even champagne is cheaper in UK at the moment :eek: Since being on my MSE OS mission we have been drinking the carton (yes CARTON like milk ones!) red wine in Lidl. It's €1.39 for 1.5litres (a magnum :rotfl:) It's not bad if you let it breathe for half an hour - I've certainly drunk worse for a lot more money in my time. Apart from that nope. Unless you want cheese etc

The trouble is there are few decent reductions / promotions in the supermarkets. I was surprised to learn this week that it's illegal for supermarkets to have 'loss leaders' which I assume is how UK supermarkets can do such decent prices??

Have a great trip!

Norman x

Norman_Bean

ChocClare wrote: »

I can't believe you live in Normandy and you're having to pay a EURO for butter. :eek: Can't you find a tame farmer to hook you up a cow?

Tesco value unsalted butter is not at all bad and that's 88p so not a HUGE difference, although with the exchange rate that's probably better still for you. Personally, I can't bear margarine in any shape or form so I'd rather buy butter in bulk when it's on special offer (which it often is, so you might be lucky and get two lots of eg Country Life for £1.50 when you're next over, you never know).

The only other thing if you're EATING butter rather than cooking with it is to make your own spreadable version: mix together 4oz butter (don't bother to weigh it, just chop your block in half - I know it's 125g but never mind!) with 1/3 cup of bland oil, eg vegetable oil or sunflower oil. If you've got a Kenwood chef, so much the better because you basically beat the chilled butter first until it's fluffy and a bit whiter; then gradually add in the oil as if you were making a mayonnaise (but not so fiddly). Et voilà, butter you can spread straight from the fridge and which therefore goes a bit further on your bread.


If you're cooking with butter, remember that you can substitute apple sauce, although it tastes better if you use half apple sauce, half butter. Oh come on, didn't you say you lived in NORMANDY???? What else is there in Normandy except cows and apples????!!!! :rolleyes:

Cheers ChocClare - fab tip about spreadable butter :T Will do that this weekend.

You made me laugh about finding a tame farmer :rotfl:I think I'd rather keep paying a euro than grapple with any of the farmers I've encountered

I'll keep an eye on the boards nearer my trip to see if butter is on offer anywhere - cool tip x

Was trying to think of other things in Normandy apart from cows and apples ... came up with calvados, camembert, cream, hhmmmm no good.

Jeez just remembered the local speciality - tripe!!!! :eek: Yuk!

Thanks again x

Norm x

ChocClare

powershopper wrote: »

never heard of the apple sauce thing, tell me more...............

It's an American thing - they're big on apple sauce over there Basically you just replace butter in your cake recipes with apple sauce. They tend to bake by volume rather than weight, so I can tell you that they suggest 1/2 cup butter=1/2 cup of apple sauce. As you are presumably NOT American, you will have no idea how much 1/2 cup butter is, so let me tell you it's 4oz (or 100g roughly). However, I would suggest that you do half and half - 2oz butter and 1/4 cup of apple sauce. It still saves you 2oz of butter after all.

Don't use it in biscuit-type recipes as it will make them too soft. You can also use it to replace oil in muffin or carrot-cake-type recipes. Again, 1 cup apple sauce = 1 cup oil, so it's easy to remember.

I imagine you can buy jars of apple sauce in America. You certainly can in France (Norman Bean - take note!!!!), but there's no reason why you shouldn't make your own - it should be a puree consistency rather than stewed apple consistency and it should be cooked until it is thick.