Can anyone tell me what these would be called in the UK?

I tried to make some mint thingies yesterday and they were a total disaster. Of course it can't be my culinary skill at fault, it must have been the wrong sugar I used

I took powdered to equal castor, and superfine to be icing sugar...

Thanks

Sounds like the sugar is right, but the wrong way round?
Powdered = a bit coarser than Icing
Superfine = a bit finer than Castor

As I recall though isnt Icing the same on both sides of the atlantic. What else is in it that could screw it up? Sometimes its just different temperatures that do the damage, especially baking. What works in one oven doesnt in another etc.

Try this link

Powdered=Icing sugar
I am used to it being called powdered or confectioners sugar in the US, but here in Toronto they seem to call it icing sugar while confectioners sugar is something totally different. I found this website from the Canadian Sugar Institute that has a FAQ section which includes a chart that tells what the different sugar types are in relation to what they are called elsewhere: http://www.sugar.ca/faqGen.htm#types

Castor sugar isn't something I had heard of other than British cooking shows on TV, but I found that superfine is supposed to be as close as you can get here.

Note that flour in Canada is different from flour in the US, heavier with more gluten, so it often will mess up US recipes unless you get the low gluten flour. This may also be a factor for you if the flour is different in the UK.

Many thanks both, excellent links - bookmarked for my next culinary attempt

I've just tried it again with the sugars the other way round and it still hasn't turned out right. Tastes good enough but looks like sludge It's a no-cook mix so I can't even blame the oven.

Maybe my understanding of "light cream cheese" is wrong too?!

Ah well.

I think we have the answer here. Mint thingies are probably not meant to contain cheese, of any description.

For some reason, I now feel rather ill.

I don't know what it would be in the UK, but here light cream cheese would be the low-cal version of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (Kraft's brand name which also comes in generic store brand versions). This is a solid white block of cheese that is rather like a sweet version of sour cream but solid and stiff like butter and is used to make cheese cake. You can also get a softer version that is spreadable for bagles and crackers, but for cooking you would want the stiff, solid blocks.

I don't want to be pedantic but how can you have a sweet version of sour cream?

I didn't really know how else to explain it, but it does have a taste similar to sour cream but it isn't sour.

Cream cheese is not cheesey tasting at all is is used in North America for cheese cake, cake frosting, and other sweet items. It can kind of take the place of butter but doesn't taste like it at all although the texture can be similar. It can also be used in savory dishes, specifically Italian or other dishes with noodles and sauce.

I think it is made similar to cheese but has a very light, sweet, creamy taste.

OKay, I bought the tub not the block...I thought it was just packaging, didn't realise there was a content difference!

(really not cut out for this baking lark, am I?!)

Ive used tubs for cheesecake with no ill effects.

Come clean, just give us the recipe!

It's just the sugars, light cream cheese, mint essence and a coupla drops o' luminous green colouring for that glow-in-the-dark effect. Shove them in a mould and then pop them out.


Not haute cuisine, just something I thought the little one could make. Never did it ocurr to me that it would defeat his mother Ah well. His father'd go nuts if he knew about the sugar anyway, so probably for the best!

At least its "light" cream cheese. Thatll help with the calorie count. Not.

Cheesy peas, anyone ?

Rich.

Did you chill them? Usually sweets made with cream cheese need to be chilled to get firm. It is dairy after all and has to be refridgerated so it won't spoil.