I moved to the UK from Canada about a yaer ago, and so many of my recipes call for Crisco shortening. I haven't been able to find it in London, and don't know what else I can use as a replacement. A few times I've seen some bakers shortening in the refridgerator dept of the grocery stores, but don't know if that's the same thing. Does anyone know if it will work the same as Crisco, or of there is a better replacement for Crisco in the UK?

Also, my favorite choc chip cookies use the Golden Crisco - is there any replacement for that? Would regular shortening (not golden) work?

You can use Trex.

Crisco is a brand name. I use a different brand but it is still shortening and it works fine.Try the bakers shortening and see how it tastes.

One of my students uses lard because of family allergies and they love the flavour. Try it and see what it tastes like.

For the Golden Crisco, try adding a bit of butter flavouring to the regular shortening mixture.

Rosiepan - what is Trex? Is that a brand?

I don't know if this will help you but I was curious and did a search. This is a reply someone had to the same question. Maybe this will help:

Atora Vegetable suet is the best. . It comes in a green box. The regular atora suet comes in a blue box. Just add flour and water they usually have recipes in the pack. You can buy it in all good british supermarkets.

I don't think I would use Atora Suet for baking cookies and cakes and especially not in icings.

Suet is usually used in pastry or puddings.

I would use Trex as Rosiepan has said

You are totally right. That is what I get for trying to help with something I know nothing about! Sorry

Theres gotta be some kind of product thats like crisco? crisco is just the brand. its available where I live but I use a generic one which is just as good. Ask your supermarket for shortening, that's what crisco is, he'll be able to direct you to a brand you do have there.

you can try butter for the cookies.

A solid vegetable shortening.
Happy Baking and Decorating,
Chef Angie

Trex, or White Flora (found in large Tesco or ASDA supermarkets) are both solid white vegetable shortenings equivalent to Crisco.

International Cake Glossary:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-603444-.html

HTH

You find a reasonable substitute to make do for now then make sure EVERYONE who comes to visit brings you some Crisco in their luggage. I had a regular supermarket of items coming to me when I lived in Italy. Now that I'm in the US, it's just Wunderbars and Kraft peanut butter!
Good luck to you!

For other inquiring minds, here's the scoop on the Wunderbar:

http://www.mikescandywrappers.com/wunderbar_1204.html

....and Kraft peanut butter:

http://www.canadianfavourites.com/Kraft_Peanut_Butter_p/kraft004.htm

That wunderbar does sound awfully good.

JanH: I had no idea they didn't sell Kraft Peanut Butter in the US!!! I love Kraft peanut butter - they dn't have that in the UK here either I find that the peanut butter they have here just isn't as good, and it's harder to find than it is back home. Boxed cake mix is also hard to come by, but since I've moved here last year, I have noticed it's becoming easier to find, but it's still very expensive - about £2.50/box = $4.14US. Because the UK portion and packaging sizes are so much smaller (as are the people LOL!) even chocolate chips are expensive. I've only been able to find them in what would be the equivilant of a US single serving M&M package. In June I went on holiday to Canada & the US I brought back home almost every color of Wilton Icing color, Jumbo Cupcake pans & liners, flavorings, 7 boxes of cake mix, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, a few MASSIVE bags of chippits from CostCo, Aunt Jemima Pancake syrup (Canadian) and lots of Canadian & US candy for the people at work - they loved Twizzlers licorice. I find there is so much stuff that they jsut don't have here, or that I can't find, or is way to expensive. Next time I go back I need to bring Corn Syrup, Crisco and a ton of other stuff I can't think of at the moment.

Haha, that post got very off topic. Sorry, went on a bit of a rant there! If anyone knows where I can get that stuff in London let me know!! I know there is a shop that sells Canadian products near Coven Garden, but I've heard it's very expensive.

I'll try the Trex sometime soon.