and call me a biscuit."

I did NOT realize that Alpine shortening was NOT a Hi-Ratio product. Just called my supplier to place an order and inquired about getting Sweetex. $20 a case higher than Alpine! Why? Sweetex is Hi-Ratio, Apline is not, although both are classified as "Icing Shortening" and both made by the same company.

Learn something new every day.

Is it kind of like name brand medicine and store brand medicine? They both have the same meds. in it, but one is about $4 cheaper then the other.

I found some info on another cake chatboard that advised Tom Bandler/ACH Foods described Alpine as Icing shortening and Sweetex as Icing and Cake shortening.

So Sweetex is more stable and performs better if under or over mixed, unlike Alpine which isn't as forgiving of mixing errors.

But I think that Alpine is still a hi-ratio shortening, because it's certainly not an AP shortening...

HTH

for the years I worked in a bakery, I was under the impression that Alpine WAS a hi-ratio shortening.

I'm fairly certain it's hi-ratio....I bought it once and didn't care for the results quite as much as Sweetex though.

Did you notice that some Sweetex is now "trans fat free" ughhh....they better not take the one containing trans fat off the market.

I was just looking into trying Sweetex--where's the cheapest place to order?

I read the whole box of Alpine and couldn't find where it claimed to be Hi-Ratio. My impression has always been that is was HR, but the supplier (Dawn) was quite sure it was not.

For suppliers, I'd recco Dawn or BakeMark.

On Sugarcraft (did a search on Alpine just to see what I could find) they list Alpine as hi-ratio and the label says "emulsified vegetable shortening"....

I started getting my Sweetex locally through Sysco so that's cool, saves the shipping costs. The rep has been really nice to let me get it through him as they are mainly a larger volume supplier.

From ACH own website-Doesn't say Alpine is high ratio but it is interesting
http://www.achfsv.com/searchResults.aspx

(mod edited to fix broken link.)

ROFL! I'm sorry, I just cant get passed the title and first line of this!!!

I have no insight on the actual subject matter, as I'm a Sweetex girl, through and through.

You can find the info if you take out the parentheses around the period. I followed it and went down to the "Alpine" link

Sorry I should have written to remove the ()'s...

Alpine - a specialty icing shortening:

http://tinyurl.com/yaz3zrp

Sweetex - a cake and icing shortening:

http://tinyurl.com/ybybnov

Has anyone ever made a recipe for cake using Sweetex? I don't think I've ever seen one..perhaps for butter but not shortening.

Just hope and pray that the US/Canada/UK/Australia/where-ever you are doesn't go the way of Denmark and outlaw trans-fats. Poor Danes, denied their trans-fat goodness.

I recall a recent thread where Alan from Global said something about NY not allowing the sale of Sweetex with trans fat.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

I'll try to find that thread.

Found it.....scroll down and read Alan's explanation about not being able to sell shortening with the trans fat, he explains that NYC doesn't prohibit it.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopicp-6640601-.html#6640601

When I need to make non-dairy (pareve) cakes, I routinely substitute hi-ratio for butter in pretty much any recipe. For each Tablespoon of butter called for in the recipe, I use 12 grams of hi-ratio and 2 grams of water. It has always worked really well for me.

In a blind tasting of chocolate cakes made with 7 different fats that I did for a paper in pastry school, much to my shock, the butter cake did NOT win for taste. The hi-ratio and Earth Balance margarine cakes got higher marks. Go figure!!!!!!

Yes, shortening WITH transfats performs much better in both cakes and icings.

Thanks, I hope you can find finding the shortening that works best for you.