Non-Cream - Is there a substitute?

[Moby-Dick]

If you can get some reaosnable milk have you considered getting a cream maker ? I remeber mum making her own cream all the time when I was young

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Bel-Cr...QQcmdZViewItem

[Seraphina]

If you can get some reaosnable milk have you considered getting a cream maker ? I remeber mum making her own cream all the time when I was young
[/url]

Ah, yes! The old Bel cream maker. I'd forgotten about them and following up on that, I notice on another forum someone is suggesting either use the Bel or a food blender. For thick cream 4oz butter (unsalted) to 4oz full fat milk, heat in a saucepan until butter has melted and either use the Bel or beat for at least two minutes (which I can do with my little Braun). Allow to cool in the fridge and ? mix again, gently. We get some superb Bavarian butter and Austrian milk at half normal prices in the local discount store (how come the best costs half the price?) so will def. give that a try. Thanks for the idea!

Here's a question...my handheld Braun comes with two dough hooks, two beaters, a baby processor fine for two persons, and a thing. The 'thing' is like a leg with an inverted tulip head on the bottom, inside of which there is a small sharp blade. There is no obvious way of cleaning the 'thing' to the standard we normally expect as it doesn't all come apart. In the local electrical shops there are lots of dedicated 'things' that look just like it. I think they might be called 'blenders'? The instructions are less than clear about what you can do with them but they don't whip cream very well. What do people do with these things? They must be really useful or the shops wouldn't be full of them?

For whipping small quantities of things I put one beater whisk into the Braun and use the tall plastic 'glass' supplied as the 'thing' is a pain to clean.

[GoNz0]

buy some cheap sponges, cut into chunks, soak the blender for an hour or 3 if its got dry crap on it.

place sponge chunks in soapy water and blend them.

after a quick rinse you have a spotless blender

[Seraphina]

buy some cheap sponges, cut into chunks, soak the blender for an hour or 3 if its got dry crap on it....place sponge chunks in soapy water and blend them.
after a quick rinse you have a spotless blender

Thanks, makes sense.

Bought some mascarpone today and sweetened it with a bit of gran. It was OK....bought some Italian almond bics, drizzled a bit of liqueur over them (just a tad, not drowned), a little bit of naff Italian cherry 'jam' and a good dollop of sweetened mascarpone. Tasted of almond. The almonds attacked the palate and that's all you could taste. Will crush the next bics and mix with something more neutral...in the UK I'd go for digestives but can't find here. 1/4 almond bics crushed with 3/4 other bics, drizzled with a tad of liqueur, naff Italian jam and a dollop of sweetened mascarpone? Will report back but meanwhile suggestions VERY welcome!

[scaryjim]

Here's a question...my handheld Braun comes with two dough hooks, two beaters, a baby processor fine for two persons, and a thing. ... What do people do with these things? They must be really useful or the shops wouldn't be full of them?

I wouldn't be without a "stick blender" (that's the usual name) in my kitchen. It'll blend most foods into a creamy puree, although it's best used for turning chunky soup into smooth soup. Also good for turning tinned tomatos into tomato sauce (for adding to pasta dishes / putting on top of pizzas). I wouldn't use it for anything too solid though, otherwise you *will* have a job cleaning it. But basically anything you'd stick in a jug blender (fruit + yoghurt for smoothies, perhaps?) can be done with a stick blender in a tall jug.

[Rebel]

Another vote for Mascapone here, add some ICING sugar to sweeten and its as good as it gets great substitute for thick whipped cream.

Alternatively I dont know whether Elmlea is available, its a mock cream made from vegetable extracts and I actually prefer it in many deserts (though its not any good for savoury as it splits to easily when its heated).