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Thursday, August 1, 2013

US -> UK : Baking Edition

Trying to bake after moving to the UK has been a complete nightmare. I know the food is different and the language is different but I had no idea simple things like ingredients would take so much work to decipher.
The is a list I've put together of the different names for food as well as good alternatives when what you're looking for just doesn't exist. 

Most of the alternative only options you can special order online. 

From US to UK


All-Purpose Flour = Plain flour (as opposed to self raising, but it's called "plain flour."

Corn Syrup = Doesn't exist. Alternatives include: Golden syrup and Treacle Syrup. 

Baking Soda = Bicarbonate of soda (Not baking powder) This one in particular has caused me a lot of confusion.

Corn Starch = Corn Flour

This one deserves is own section

Jelly = Jam
Jello = Jelly (Jello is not a UK brand and no one will know what it is) 
Pudding = Custard
Pudding (UK) =  a general term for any dessert.

Shortening = Alternative = Butter, Margarine, or Vegetable Spread

Confectioners Sugar = Icing Sugar

Granulated Sugar = Caster Sugar or any kind of sugar will usually do

Graham Crackers = Best alternative = Plain Digestive Biscuits

Eggplant = Aubergine 

Zucchini = Courgette 

Coffee Cake. I'm adding this one even though it's not an ingredient because it's caused a great deal of confusion for me this past week. Coffee cake is NOT a breakfast cake used to pair with coffee. It is ONLY coffee flavoured cake. 

Plastic wrap = Cling film

Extract (Vanilla Extract) = Essence (Vanilla Essence)

Ham = Gammon

Bacon = Streaky Bacon / (UK) Bacon = Canadian Bacon.

Pickles = Gherkins or Pickled Cucumber. You WILL NOT find normal Dill Pickles, unless you special order them online. End of story. Believe me, I've looked!

Oatmeal = Porridge

Lemonade = Lemonade if (AND ONLY IF) you find it in the juice section. Any other time it is used it means Sprite or some other kind of lemon/lime soda.

Soda = Fizzy Drinks (Silly, I know) 
             Soda (UK) = Carbonated water
             I just ask specifically for what I want. Much easier, as long as you keep in mind restaurants don't carry Dr. Pepper. :( Not even American ones. 

Shrimp = Prawn


An entire book could be written on British vs. American food. So I have kept this particular post specific to baking ingredients and some food.


A LOT of people have been requesting this stuff from me for a while. So please let me know if there's anything you'd like to know or would like me to talk about. 










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