What happened Betty? You used to be so good, so sweet and wholesome as apple pie. And now look at you, a trans-fat slut! What made you sell out to the dark side? Speaking of which, that's the real reason Darth Vader sounds the way he does, too many cigars and trans-fats in his diet.
Betty, we've been through so much together you and I. There was the 'cake slope' disaster of '62, when a layer cake I made, using one of your recipes, somehow went south, very south, in the baking process and developed a distinct downward elevation. I made a double batch of frosting, again courtesy of your cookbook, to fill in the uneven parts and make it at least appear level. My grandfather, for whom I made the cake, and who I think was suspicious after seeing it that something was not quite right, although he tactfully did not let on, declared after taking a bite that, "icing is better than cake anyway." Good old grandpa.
And then there was the great inadvertent 'cookbook heist' of '79 in which I borrowed a brand new Betty Crocker cookbook from a colleague of mine and absentmindedly neglected to return it. I found it some years later when I moved across country and I felt just awful. If the girl I borrowed it from all those years ago is, by chance, reading this you may consider it an IOU.
Betty, you were never a gourmet cook, but you had lots of simple, practical recipes that came in handy to fill in 'the gaps' or to assist with a much-needed 'quick fix' for something at a dinner or cocktail party. You were always an icon of American cookery, a failsafe, someone who had my culinary back. And now, well now, it's over!
And what brought you to this ignominious end? Trans-fats, that's what!
I love baking, but like so many people in the world today I get very busy and sometimes shortcuts are tempting. Recently, I found myself in the position of 'owing' a friend some cupcakes. I was at the grocers purchasing ingredients when it occurred to me that I could save some time by using one of Betty Crocker's premade frostings. When I picked up a container of said frosting (cream cheese flavor) and read the label, as I always do, I found much to my horror that it contained artery-hardening, cerebral hemorrhage-inducing and heart attack-creating trans-fats. Using a known poison in food is not only unacceptable, it's irresponsible and immoral, so Betty old girl, it's goodbye and good riddance!
Now for those of you in need of a quick and simple frosting recipe (bear in mind I am not encouraging you all to O.D. on sweets and carbs, just a little dab 'il do ya) let me share with you my TRANS-FAT FREE alternative to the Betty Crocker 'bad for you' brand version.
Dr. Cochran's Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
8oz Cream Cheese
2/3 cup Sugar
3 Tbs Butter
¾ tsp Vanilla
Cream ingredients together until well combined than whip the mixture for 2-3 minutes. Spread as needed. Keep refrigerated.
Until next time, I'm Dr. Margaret Cochran wishing you a balanced diet, the determination you need to read the labels on the food you buy, and lots and lots of Wisdom, Love and Magic!
Follow Margaret Cochran, Ph.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/drmcochran
If a punter cannot correctly understand which is the appropriate `sugar', then they'll end up eating as they deserve.
Now if there is a premade frosting without trans fats that performs and tastes as well as Betty's, we are all ears.
Another question you should ask yourself, what are you willing to give up for convenience of the frostings if they dropped the trans fat? If they switched to coconut oil, would you be okay paying a little extra and having the saturated fat increase? If they switch to non-hydrogenated oil, would you all be okay with it softer and having a shorter shelf life (a few months rather than years.) You can't have it all.