Alternative to Whole/Heavy Cream for Whipping?

[andiesenji]

I found the thread on "Making highly stable foams"   Here is the discussion, only a few posts but some good advice.

[GlorifiedRice]

Who just eats 1 Tablespoon though? I think a squirt of RediWhip (straight into mouth, lol) is 1/3rd a cup! LOL

[andiesenji]

I decided to try an experiment - used 1% cold milk and a "smidgen" of guar gum - 4 ounces of milk (about 1/8 teaspoon)  1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar - added after beginning to froth.

 

It "whipped" nicely, just using the little hand-held battery frother.  Not as dense as whipped cream, not quite as "loose" as plain foarmed milk. 

This should also work with an immersion blender - but this amount of milk was a bit small for effective action.

 

Here are the photos:

 

 

And after 20 minutes, still holding - equivalent to very soft peaks...

 

 

After 50 minutes the foam has collapsed - however using the little frother brings it back almost to the original thickness.

So this methold will work if one pays attention to the time.

It will have to be buzzed or frothed immediately prior to serving for the best results.

Edited December 23, 2014 by andiesenji (log)

[Shel_B]

I decided to try an experiment - used 1% cold milk and a "smidgen" of guar gum - 4 ounces of milk (about 1/8 teaspoon)  1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar - added after beginning to froth.

 

It "whipped" nicely, just using the little hand-held battery frother.  Not as dense as whipped cream, not quite as "loose" as plain foarmed milk. 

This should also work with an immersion blender - but this amount of milk was a bit small for effective action.

 

Here are the photos:

 

HPIM7231.JPG

HPIM7232.JPG

HPIM7233.JPG

 

And after 20 minutes, still holding - equivalent to very soft peaks...

HPIM7235.JPG

 

 

After 50 minutes the foam has collapsed - however using the little frother brings it back almost to the original thickness.

So this methold will work if one pays attention to the time.

It will have to be buzzed or frothed immediately prior to serving for the best results.

 

It's great to see that the original thought has some merit.  Your experiment answers the original question perfectly, and seems to lay to rest the comments of the nay sayers.  Thanks!  Coincidentally, I just returned home with a half-gallon of low fat milk and the beater is on the counter.  I'll try the experiment myself with the ingredients I have on hand using my rudimentary tools and see what happens.  No guar gum here ...

[andiesenji]

Shel, I only used the guar gum because I couldn't find the plain gelatin.  I know I have a can of unflavored gelatin (beef and kosher) that has to be at least half full but it is effectively "hiding" from me.  I keep all items like this together on a shelf in the pantry and they are ALL there except for the gelatin, which is in a bright orange can which should be difficult to "lose" but I seem to have misplaced it. 

I'm sure I will find it when looking for something else when I have absolutely no need for it.

[Shel_B]

Shel, I only used the guar gum because I couldn't find the plain gelatin.  I know I have a can of unflavored gelatin (beef and kosher) that has to be at least half full but it is effectively "hiding" from me.  I keep all items like this together on a shelf in the pantry and they are ALL there except for the gelatin, which is in a bright orange can which should be difficult to "lose" but I seem to have misplaced it. 

I'm sure I will find it when looking for something else when I have absolutely no need for it.

 

Welcome to my world <LOL>

 

Gelatin I have, and I know exactly where it is, so I'll try whipping this up with a little gelatin.

[Lisa Shock]

Even if evap is 1/2 the calories of the real deal, it's not much of a caloric saving.  I'd rather use 1/2 the amount of the real stuff.  

 

After struggling with my weight since childhood, fifteen years ago I lost 42 pounds and have kept 40 of them off.  After years of diet failures that used low-cal low-fat low-sugar substitutes, I found portion control of 'regular' foods worked best for me.  A little dab or dollop of butter, whipped cream, dessert, etc. will satisfy my hunger far better than any amount of low-cal alternatives.  

 

YMMV.

Amen. I'd rather eat nothing than a big bowl of ersatz.

 

I know someone who always said he hated whipped cream and did not want it on his desserts. One day, he was where I worked and I handed him a sample of chantilly from the mixer. He loved it, absolutely adored it. Turns out, he grew up in a household that served the ersatz all the time, slathered onto everything sweet, and he never liked the taste -he also felt that it obscured the deliciousness of the actual dessert. Pie was better without it, Jell-o was better without it, etc.

 

I prefer to serve real foods, especially since I serve food professionally to the public.

 

I find it extremely condescending for anyone to attempt to control another person's diet without a directive to do so when they aren't a physician or primary caregiver. Practicing medicine without a license is not the moral high ground here. (as the ex-wife of a doctor, I know a wee little bit about this) I'd be really upset if someone replaced real food with white fluff at my meal.

 

Once again though, I don't understand those who need to slather every dessert with a white foam that more often than not masks the flavor of the dessert it is obscuring. If the dessert is bad, don't serve it. If the dessert is delicious, let it shine on its own.  I don't understand why any feels that it's important to have a white foam on a plate at any cost.

 

If the dessert relies on whipped cream, like a mousse or Strawberries Romanov, then just serve the real whipped cream/chantilly for what it is and let individuals decide how much they wish to eat, if they eat it at all.

 

Making an ersatz version doesn't do anyone any favors, and makes checking dietary charts and such for those on special diets more difficult. For example:looking up whipped cream in a chart for diabetics is easy, checking every recipe for whipped, milk and milk-like products not so much. And, since real whipped cream is lower on the glycemic index than most recipes I saw online, it might be preferable to non-fat, sugary whip -at least for diabetics. Now, I have worked professionally as a consultant for a group of diabetics and had my recipes tested for actual numbers, so it is what I am most familiar with in terms of special, dietetic foods. That said, it drives me nuts when lay people think they know what's best for patients and cook them meals without any formal education on the subject. (Dunning-Kruger effect in action)

 

So, before going out and making what you personally think people 'need' you might want to stop and ask yourself why you imagine that the real food is bad, and why you think serving an imitation of that bad food is a good thing -when in fact you could simply serve a different real food (warm fruit compote? cheese & nut plate?) that has all of its flavor and appeal intact.

[Shel_B]

Amen. I'd rather eat nothing than a big bowl of ersatz.

 

I know someone who always said he hated whipped cream and did not want it on his desserts. One day, he was where I worked and I handed him a sample of chantilly from the mixer. He loved it, absolutely adored it. Turns out, he grew up in a household that served the ersatz all the time, slathered onto everything sweet, and he never liked the taste -he also felt that it obscured the deliciousness of the actual dessert. Pie was better without it, Jell-o was better without it, etc.

 

I prefer to serve real foods, especially since I serve food professionally to the public.

 

I find it extremely condescending for anyone to attempt to control another person's diet without a directive to do so when they aren't a physician or primary caregiver. Practicing medicine without a license is not the moral high ground here. (as the ex-wife of a doctor, I know a wee little bit about this) I'd be really upset if someone replaced real food with white fluff at my meal.

 

Once again though, I don't understand those who need to slather every dessert with a white foam that more often than not masks the flavor of the dessert it is obscuring. If the dessert is bad, don't serve it. If the dessert is delicious, let it shine on its own.  I don't understand why any feels that it's important to have a white foam on a plate at any cost.

 

If the dessert relies on whipped cream, like a mousse or Strawberries Romanov, then just serve the real whipped cream/chantilly for what it is and let individuals decide how much they wish to eat, if they eat it at all.

 

Making an ersatz version doesn't do anyone any favors, and makes checking dietary charts and such for those on special diets more difficult. For example:looking up whipped cream in a chart for diabetics is easy, checking every recipe for whipped, milk and milk-like products not so much. And, since real whipped cream is lower on the glycemic index than most recipes I saw online, it might be preferable to non-fat, sugary whip -at least for diabetics. Now, I have worked professionally as a consultant for a group of diabetics and had my recipes tested for actual numbers, so it is what I am most familiar with in terms of special, dietetic foods. That said, it drives me nuts when lay people think they know what's best for patients and cook them meals without any formal education on the subject. (Dunning-Kruger effect in action)

 

So, before going out and making what you personally think people 'need' you might want to stop and ask yourself why you imagine that the real food is bad, and why you think serving an imitation of that bad food is a good thing -when in fact you could simply serve a different real food (warm fruit compote? cheese & nut plate?) that has all of its flavor and appeal intact.

 

And I cannot understand why anyone who is not familiar with the dynamics, preferences, needs, and desires of group of people totally unknown to them can be so judgmental and condescending about the choices they make regarding what to eat.

 

No one here said anything about diabetics.  No one said that "real food is bad."  And since when is whipped low fat milk any less real than whipped cream?  Sheesh!

 

What I'd suggest is that you keep your negative, judgmental, and condescending remarks to yourself.  They add nothing of any value to the intent of the original conversation.

[andiesenji]

There are many people who are not truly lactose intolerant but can't consume high fat milk, cream, etc., without suffering indigestion, heartburn, etc., which is very uncomfortable.  One of my close friends has chronic liver disease and while she loves cream, even small amounts cause her acute distress and abdominal pain that can last for hours.  Other fats (that she absolutely loves) are also forbidden - bacon, most meats, etc., butter, ice cream and cheeses. 

[weinoo]

and seems to lay to rest the comments of the nay sayers.  

 

As a naysayer, I still naysay. Anyone who thinks that stuff has the mouth of, or tastes like real chantilly cream, might need their taste buds examined.

 

Actually, what I might do in a case like this is make some real whipped cream and some agar agar-ed low fat, fake whipped cream, and let each guest choose his or her preference. Everyone wins.

Edited December 24, 2014 by weinoo (log)

[Shel_B]

As a naysayer, I still naysay. Anyone who thinks that stuff has the mouth of, or tastes like real chantilly cream, might need their taste buds examined.

 

Actually, what I might do in a case like this is make some real whipped cream and some agar agar-ed low fat, fake whipped cream, and let each guest choose his or her preference. Everyone wins.

 

And that is essentially the plan.  Traditional whipped cream plus an experimental version.

 

No one suggested it would be the same as regular whipped cream, and I certainly know the difference.  But, in any case, it's an interesting (to me) experiment.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

And I cannot understand why anyone who is not familiar with the dynamics, preferences, needs, and desires of group of people totally unknown to them can be so judgmental and condescending about the choices they make regarding what to eat.

 

No one here said anything about diabetics.  No one said that "real food is bad."  And since when is whipped low fat milk any less real than whipped cream?  Sheesh!

 

What I'd suggest is that you keep your negative, judgmental, and condescending remarks to yourself.  They add nothing of any value to the intent of the original conversation.

 

I would probably eat the entire batch with cocoa powder added as a chocolate mousse...lol

 

I used to come home from school and whip up 2 eggwhites add sugar and cocoa powder and eat that for dinner  (now Im scared of raw eggs)

[GlorifiedRice]

And that is essentially the plan.  Traditional whipped cream plus an experimental version.

 

No one suggested it would be the same as regular whipped cream, and I certainly know the difference.  But, in any case, it's an interesting (to me) experiment.

 

Shel I used to love the version made of Coffeemate powder