Okay,

I wanted to make a recipe for my husband's 40th birthday that calls for creme de menthe to make the "mousse". Because it is not being baked, the alcohol will not burn off. There will be several kids in attendance as well as expecting moms! I have been looking for a substitute and have found that 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract will work, but it was mentioned that the creme de menthe also adds a creamy texture and in order to replace the cream texture I would also have to add a heavy cream, or something similar, but I never found an exact ingredient or amount! Also, since the creme de menthe is a liquid, I would be reducing the amount of liquid by replacing the 1/4 cup of creme de menthe with 1/4tsp of mint extract. So as you can see, I have a dillema!

The recipe is as follows:
1 (8oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup creme de menthe
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1/4tsp peppermint extract

ANY helpful suggestions would be appreciated!

Mint Italian soda syrup? Maybe use a scant 1/4 cup plus a tablespoon of cream. Is there a mint coffee creamer? That would probably work too. Use 1/2 tsp peppermint extract if the flavor isn't strong enough in the creamer.

If you want to really get technical, there is probably more alcohol in OTC medicine than there is in the frosting on a slice of cake. Unless the party guests are likely to sit down with a bowl of frosting and a spoon, I wouldn't think anyone would get enough to cause any kind of problem. Even the expectant moms. JMO

I soooo agree w/jgifford! I wouldn't give it a 2nd thought. You might decide to mention it to the guests and let them decide if they want to indulge or not.

Ditto to the alcohol really not being an issue. You could probably bring it to a boil before using it if you wanted to burn off some. Or use the coffee syrup. I know there "creme" in the name but it really just tastes like minty schnapps, not creamy or anything. I don't think subbing it with something else will change the texture too much.

what about maybe a coffee creamer? I know there are some kinds of creme de menthe flavors many other flavors that can be used.

Creme de Minthe is 72% proof, approx the same as vanilla extract. 1/4 c is 4 tbsp divided by 16 slices is 1/4 tbsp, or less than a tsp per person. Of that scant tsp, only 1/3 of that is alcohol, leaving about 1/4 tsp alcohol per slice.

If that is still an issue, take about a little more, maybe 50% more of cream de minthe and put it in a small saucepan. Reduce it to 1/4 c. The alcohol will burn the quickest, leaving your 1/4 c with less alcohol.

Nothing else is going to taste the same as Cream de minthe. A reduction will be just as good, but you may need to slightly adjust for the boost in flavor by the reduction, but that should be easy. Good Luck on your cake.