Advice on Subbing Ingredients

[Glytch]

Making two of DIY or DIE's recipes soon.

This one requires FW Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Notes mention the following: "I use FW VBIC because of the sweetness this flavor has, against the popular TFA counterpart. The sweetness adds to everything here, and at 3% you still get all the vanilla and sugar, without taking anything away from the other flavors."

I have TFA VBIC. Can I use this with some sweetener?

This one requires TFA Meringue at 0.5%. I have FA Meringue. Can I sub? If so at what %? Notes mention the following: "This flavoring boosts that Creme De Menthe into the ice cream stratosphere. It adds just enough to the recipe to really make that dairy note pop out and is much needed. With out this flavoring you'll find the Creme De Menthe lacking that ice cream "thickness" and also that slight and subtle buttery element. This puts it in there. Keeping it low allows the Menthe to not be over burdened. "

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kalashnikov]

Making two of DIY or DIE's recipes soon.

This one requires FW Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Notes mention the following: "I use FW VBIC because of the sweetness this flavor has, against the popular TFA counterpart. The sweetness adds to everything here, and at 3% you still get all the vanilla and sugar, without taking anything away from the other flavors."

I have TFA VBIC. Can I use this with some sweetener?

This one requires TFA Meringue at 0.5%. I have FA Meringue. Can I sub? If so at what %? Notes mention the following: "This flavoring boosts that Creme De Menthe into the ice cream stratosphere. It adds just enough to the recipe to really make that dairy note pop out and is much needed. With out this flavoring you'll find the Creme De Menthe lacking that ice cream "thickness" and also that slight and subtle buttery element. This puts it in there. Keeping it low allows the Menthe to not be over burdened. "

Thanks in advance.

Sub the stuff. It might not give you the exact taste but im pretty sure it will still be a great flavour. Never know less you try

 

[RichJB]

@Glytch, I'm sure it will still work but it won't be the same. The only VBICs that Wayne rates are TFA and Cap. If he uses FW instead, that says something. Ditto with the Meringue. When FA fan HIC uses TFA Meringue in several recipes - and draws specific attention to it - you can be sure it's giving him something that FA is not.

However, I work on the basis that their palates are way sharper than mine, and that a sub that makes ->|..................................|<- difference to them is only going to make ->|...|<- difference to me. Also, increasing my wattage from 25 to 50 will probably give me as big a change in the flavour as subbing an ingredient will.

 

[Caveman]

The other side of the coin is, how will you know if its on par or not? Without using the exact recipe you might never find out exactly what its supposed to taste like. Subbing it will most definitely not ruin the flavour or make it bad. It will not taste exactly as intended though, but you will never know what it is supposed to taste like exactly. I'm with @RichJB on this one. My palate is nowhere near as sharp as to pick up minor nuances that these guys pick up.
I would sub it, then use your own judgement for adding sweetener or not. FW VBIC could have a natural sweetness, or a resonating sweetness, or an inherent sweetness, or a smooth sweetness that adding sweetener might just ruin.

 

[Glytch]

Thanks @RichJB and @Caveman. Exactly what my gut told me. Agree wholeheartedly with your general approach to subbing from experienced mixers. I will order as per exact recipe.