Fat Free Half and Half

[ixirockx]

Hi i've seen fat free half and half in the store and I was wondering does it taste just like half and half? I would also like to know if it would be good to substitute it for cream in an ice cream recipe. I want to reduce the fat in the ice cream. Has anyone had any experience with it? Thanks

[Suzanne]

Ever since I threw out a whole container of fat-free "cream cheese" -- and I NEVER, ever throw out food unless it's spoiled beyond redemption -- I vowed not to buy another fat-free version of anything that normally has fat in it.

If they take out the fat, they usually have to replace it with, um, something to give it the mouthfeel it should have. Check the label of that stuff to see what all else they add. Maybe carageenan, or pectin -- these are natural ingredients, but what business do they have in cream? And they probably will make a difference in the outcome if you use the stuff in ice cream.

May I suggest: don't even think about making lower-fat ice cream. Think about making gelato or something with milk, or just eat smaller portions of real ice cream. The better the food, the stronger the flavors, and the more satisfying a little bit is -- and you won't have to eat a ton of the stuff to be happy.

But that's just my opinion. If anyone else wants to answer your question, please don't let me stop you.

[allie]

I will eat fat free sour cream but that's about it. No way I'd mess around with my ice cream!

[shel]

Originally Posted by Suzanne

If they take out the fat, they usually have to replace it with, um, something to give it the mouthfeel it should have. Check the label of that stuff to see what all else they add. Maybe carageenan, or pectin -- these are natural ingredients, but what business do they have in cream?

"Ingredients: Nonfat milk, milk*, corn syrup solids, artificial color**, sugar, dipotassium phosphate, sodium citrate, mono and diglycerides*, carageenan, natural and artifical flavors, vitamin A palmitate.

*Adds a trivial amount of fat

**An ingredient not normally found in half and half."

There may be somewhat different ingredients in different brands. I tasted some at a client's home - yech! Some people find it to be acceptable - perhaps the same people who've never had real, fresh cream or milk.

Shel

[Joyfull]

I purchased some fat free 1/2 &1/2 for my DH to use in his coffee as he had been told to cut back on fats in his diet..

He tried it just the one time, then it was promptly thrown down the drain.. Along I might add, with a few choice words about how it had to be the worst #%$@&! low fat product on the market!

I agree with Suzzane.. Ice cream is one thing I would not go low fat on.. Its usually a once in the while treat anyway.. Just take smaller portions, or try making the gelato as suggested..

[ixirockx]

I had another question also. What exactly does gelatin do for ice cream? Is there any substitute for it such as corn starch? Thanks

[Suzanne]

Not to put too fine a point on it: Yuck. Gelatin is a filler that allows you to whip lots of air into the ice cream. Which means that you get less real flavor in every bite, and so you have to eat more to get any satisfaction. Isn't that sort of self-defeating?

Cornstarch probably wouldn't work, since it doesn't freeze well -- it weeps. Gelatin doesn't freeze well, either.

ixirockx, do you have a particular recipe that you're looking at? Can you post a link or somehow give us an idea of what goes into it?

[ixirockx]

I was looking at this recipe:
Raspberry Frozen Yogurt Recipe | Recipezaar
Thanks for your help

[Suzanne]

But . . . but . . . that has nothing to do with half-and-half, or ice cream for that matter! You have to put in the gelatin because otherwise the yogurt will separate.

Personally, I'd rather make a sorbet with pureed berries, lemon juice, and a little real sugar. Totally nonfat, and no filler.

[shel]

Originally Posted by Suzanne

Personally, I'd rather make a sorbet with pureed berries, lemon juice, and a little real sugar. Totally nonfat, and no filler.

Oooo ... you got me thinking about a nice, simple, chocolate sherbert that I make every now and then. Y'don't even need an ice cream maker, and you can use whole milk or low fat milk ... lemme see, where'd I put that puppy ... ahh, here it is:

===========================

Here's a delicious, low fat, low calorie way to enjoy your chocolate.
I've made this with several types of cocoa and discovered that there
is a substantial taste and quality difference between brands. This is an excellent way to get a cool soothing chocolate taste when the weather is hot.


CHOCOLATE SHERBERT

1/4 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa
6 Tbs sugar (adjust to your preference)
1/4 cup hot water
1 cup low fat or "lite" milk at "room" temperature

Combine the cocoa powder and sugar in a small saucepan and stir in a little bit of the hot water to form a smooth paste. Then stir in the remaining water and continue stirring and cooking over low heat until the sugar isdissolved and the mixture is warm. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk.

Pour into a shallow pan or ice cube tray and freeze until hard, for several
hours or overnight. Break up the frozen mixture in a blender or food processor. Process with 2 Tbs of cold water until smooth and lightened in color. Scrape into a pan or bowl, cover tightly and freeze.

Shel

[Suzanne]

Actually, when I worked as a pastry chef, I had to make a chocolate sorbet that was just great. It was basically 1 part cocoa powder, 3 parts sugar, 7.5 parts water simmered together, then 2.5 parts bittersweet chocolate melted in (all parts are by weight). Strain, chill, and spin in the ice cream machine. That was the best! Not completely nonfat because of the chocolate, but pretty low.