333556 Thu Oct 12 15:30:17 -0700 2006 35 31 Home Cooking 0 1940847 I am making a recipe calling for Cointreau, but I am making a large quantity and Cointreau isn't cheap. I know it is orange flavored, but I don't want to go the Grand Marnier route either due to cost. Do you think a Triple Sec would pass, or through a Google search I found "orange curacao" mentioned? Any help with this would be much appreciated. Thu Oct 12 15:30:17 -0700 2006 19634 mels 1 1940856 I often buy the little "airplane" size bottles if I only need a small amount. Can't help on the substitution, though I think Cointreau/Grand Marnier have a much smoother taste than Triple Sec - don't know if it would make difference in the recipe. What are you making? Thu Oct 12 15:34:19 -0700 2006 1940847 10985 MMRuth 1 1940868 mels - it is certainly possible that you could substitute triple sec and nobody would know the difference unless you told them. Curacao is also an orange flavored liqueur and is available in a wide range of prices. Some of them are quite reasonable. However, to get a truly informed opinion, it would help if you were to tell us what the recipe is that you are making. Thu Oct 12 15:38:42 -0700 2006 1940847 14225 kstroble 1 1941035 The recipe is for a cake where the Cointreau is to be poured over it and soak in (not cooked). I am wondering if the faux-Cointreau (whatever I may use) being it its "raw" state would have a different taste. Unfortunately I have to make a mass quantity of said cake for a non-profit event, so the budget for ingredients is limited. I would rather not spend $30 for a 750 mL bottle if I can help it! Thu Oct 12 16:29:45 -0700 2006 1940847 19634 mels 1 1941058 Gran Gala is a "faux-Cointreau/Grand Marnier" which is about half the price of either--more expensive than triple sec, but stronger in flavor (and alcohol, I believe). Thu Oct 12 16:36:57 -0700 2006 1940847 14216 Marge 1 1941081 I'm not a drinker but I would go ahead with a less expensive liqueur. The cake's flavor will dominate so you just want a top note of orange and alcohol. Thu Oct 12 16:43:32 -0700 2006 1940847 12335 cheryl_h 1 1941102 You will notice some difference substituting Cointreau or Grand Marnier with triple sec or orange curacao for cake soaking. Given your budget, it is definitely an acceptable substitute. You cakes will taste fine. If you are using a moist filling/frosting, use a little less. Soaking a cake with straight liqueur can be quite overpowering. Many recipes call for a sugar syrup flavored with liqueur. Thu Oct 12 16:48:51 -0700 2006 1940847 10756 PBSF 1 1941139 Triple sec varies a lot in quality. To save money, make your own orange syrup and mix it with inexpensive brandy or rum. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102898 Thu Oct 12 17:01:32 -0700 2006 1940847 11369 Robert Lauriston 2 5004039 That's a good recipe. Sounds tasty -- and you could always substitute regular oranges for the blood oranges. Thu Sep 03 22:04:18 -0700 2009 1941139 18222 maria lorraine 1 1941333 Good orange extract goes a long way. It's about 24% alcohol, and a lot cheaper than Cointreau. Thu Oct 12 17:55:03 -0700 2006 1940847 10926 mnosyne 1 1941343 You can also substitute orange juice. At least you won't get a 'cheap' alcohol taste to it. Thu Oct 12 17:56:52 -0700 2006 1940847 11053 thenurse 2 5004041 Yep. Robert linked to a good recipe above. That's what I'd do -- I wouldn't use alcohol for a cake for this event, but that's just IMO. Thu Sep 03 22:05:36 -0700 2009 1941343 18222 maria lorraine 1 1942337 In the past I've substituted a mixture of brandy and orange juice that seemed just fine. Thu Oct 12 23:07:25 -0700 2006 1940847 14610 bropaul 1 1942639 Triple Sec is the closest thing to Cointreau. In fact, they are virtually the same, except Cointreau is just a higher quality and higher proof. You can make it work. Do not use Grand Marnier, Gran Gala or Gran Torres; they are not the same, they are brandy/cognac based and much darker. -Kevin www.NolaFoodie.com Fri Oct 13 01:40:35 -0700 2006 1940847 15382 UptownKevin 2 5004036 To my taste buds, Triple Sec and Cointreau are quite different. Both orange of course, but Cointreau is more vibrant, more orange in flavor, less alcoholic in flavor and much more beautiful. Thu Sep 03 22:02:50 -0700 2009 1942639 18222 maria lorraine 1 1942663 IMHO, I think plain Triple Sec would be a poor, syrupy substitute - the reason the recipe calls for Cointreau is taste and quality. MAYBE Patron Citronge will save 30% on cost. What ingredients (liquor wise) do you have on hand - maybe there's an improvised solution... Fri Oct 13 01:49:11 -0700 2006 1940847 37786 tdo ca 2 2319899 I have definitely subbed citronge in recipes calling for a small amt of cointreau. worked fine. Thu Feb 22 15:45:55 -0800 2007 1942663 49086 amyvc 1 1943158 While both are orange flavored, Cointreau and Grand Marnier are two different spirits; Cointreau has a neutral base, Grand Marnier uses brandy and would change the flavor profile of what you are making. Depending on how much you're using, you *might* be able to substitute triple sec or orange curaçao. If you're only using a tablespoon or two to flavor a cake, you could likely do triple sec and nobody would be the wiser. If it's for something special, I would pick up a micro bottle of Cointreau for about 3 bucks. Incidentally, if you see Cointreau in a recipe and want to play with a bit, you could substiture Licor Cuarenta y Tres (43), which has an orange-vanilla flavor. It makes for a nice twist in a margarita. You could also do a new darling in my bottle collection, Parfait Amour, a purple liqueur which is orange based with almonds, vanilla, and rose petals. Both of these are almost as expensive as Cointreau, so they wouldn't be good cost saving measures. Fri Oct 13 10:29:07 -0700 2006 1940847 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 2 1945778 I've never noticed any orange flavor in Licor 43. Just vanilla. And it's really, really sweet. Sat Oct 14 14:59:59 -0700 2006 1943158 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 1943330 Cook's Illustrated had a comparison of orange-flavored liqueurs in the September 2006 issue, in an article on crepes Suzette. Their surprise winner in a blind taste test was Leroux triple sec. Among orange-flavored brandies, La Belle Orange edged out Grand Marnier, and came in second in the crepes Suzette test. Cointreau came in last out of five. In a three-way taste test straight up, triple sec also came in first, Grand Marnier second, and Cointreau last (with a coment that it had only a faint orange flavor.) Fri Oct 13 13:25:36 -0700 2006 1940847 18512 Allstonian 2 1943436 How interesting, thanks! I'm a lover of Cointreau and would hate to use it in food, cause I'd rather drink it, that's just me! So for cakes etc, I'd gladly look to Grand Marnier etc. Still, for the substitution question, the brandy & o.j. suggestion by bropaul seems like a good one. Fri Oct 13 14:12:53 -0700 2006 1943330 20128 morebubbles 2 1945781 Cook's Illustrated's taste-offs often produce incomprehensible results. I don't think their tasters have very good palates. Sat Oct 14 15:01:08 -0700 2006 1943330 11369 Robert Lauriston 2 4198673 I thought the brandy & OJ was a good substitute as well since many cakes use brandy & rum. I just got a recipe for Cranberries for the holidays that called for an orange liquer and port and I was considering using the brandy & OJ or even the Grand Marnier because of it's brandy base because I was going to use a Late Harvest Zin instead of the Port (the difference mainly being that a Port is fortified with Brandy where a Late Harvest is not). Mon Nov 24 13:26:33 -0800 2008 1943330 243075 ddsrgs 1 1944373 Orange curaco & triple sec are the same thing. Leroux triple sec is actually really good for baking, but cheaper 3secs can be sugary and fake tasting. Organic orange extract is really good. also not cheap, so probably i'm being unhelpful. Fri Oct 13 19:41:24 -0700 2006 1940847 46030 soupkitten 1 1945405 I would suggest being very careful about soaking a baked cake in any liqueur full strength. A sugar syrup flavored with a few TBS liqueur would be much better. Straight uncooked alcohol will only add a harsh taste and not much flavor. Sat Oct 14 04:16:58 -0700 2006 1940847 10838 Fleur 1 1945553 you all are making me hungry for a "Harvey Wallbanger" cake...IIRC, very popular in the late 70s. Vodka, orange juice and galliano in the cake and the glaze. That was majorly yummy. Sat Oct 14 07:14:33 -0700 2006 1940847 10612 mshpook 2 1945678 hmmm, do you have a recipe that you like? Sat Oct 14 13:16:25 -0700 2006 1945553 20128 morebubbles 1 1946685 My recipe is long gone, but I found this one on line and it seems exactly the same.... It was a very moist and very yummy cake. http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blc1.htm Sun Oct 15 03:47:53 -0700 2006 1940847 10612 mshpook 1 2319611 Some of you need to study on cooking with spirets. Grand Marnier is a cognac based liqiure while Triple Sec is Vodca based. Cointreau is brandy based. Triple Sec although orange flavoured is much more fluid then the other two. Triple Sec is used very much in cooking main meals and deserts, but not as much in baking because of it's fluidness. If you use this on your cake, be prepared of a sougier cake. Than may be harder to handle. Both Brandy and Cognac are syrup and hold better with less run off. There are less expensive orange Liqiures that are brandy based and give great flavor. About the same price as Triple Sec. De Kuyper Dry Orange Curacao Liqueur Also known as Orange Cura ao, this liqueur belongs to the family Thu Feb 22 14:32:00 -0800 2007 1940847 76917 batteries 1 3144121 I have a similar problem. I am trying a dressing recipe for Thanksgiving. Calls for dried apricot simmered in 1 1/2C of Grand Marnier. A bit pricey and I already have a bottle of Curacao. Any thoughts on how it would work instead?? Tue Nov 20 19:00:52 -0800 2007 1940847 144575 sweetpeas 2 4272918 For simmering, I'd use about 2/3 curacao and 1/3 drinkable but not great brandy. Simmering in name-brand hooch is for the wealthy, in my opinion. I absolutely never put any heat to the top-shelf stuff. I simply don't see the point. I'll also add my two cents to the Cointreau quality debate. My sister-in-law and I had a triple sec taste-off one time among about six or seven brands. Hiram Walker won the "best bang for the buck" award, hands down. It has a surprisingly natural orange flavor, considering the price (about $8). For a sweet mixed drink or soaking a cake, it would be my first choice. I liked it better than Cointreau, which I found not orangey enough. Thu Dec 25 12:00:46 -0800 2008 3144121 130151 dmd_kc 3 4313314 i love the triple-sec "taste-off" -- was it "double-blind"? ha ha!!! Sat Jan 10 05:48:14 -0800 2009 4272918 105717 alkapal 1 4272742 try Harlequin Orange Liquor, it's the same proof as Grand Marnier (something Triple Sec cannot claim) at about half the cost. Thu Dec 25 09:16:35 -0800 2008 1940847 251273 johnemoll 1 4272769 Some people have touched on this but no one has really stated it outright - Cointreau IS triple sec. Cointreau is a name brand, that's all. It's kind of like Kleenex. There are probably some better quality ingredients involved in the making of Cointreau and of course, like all brand names they can charge more because it is a recognized brand... But to everyone who says you can't substitute triple sec for Cointreau, you don't really know what you're talking about because they are the same thing. Thu Dec 25 09:40:09 -0800 2008 1940847 42270 HaagenDazs 2 5003996 >Some people have touched on this but no one has really stated it outright - Cointreau IS triple sec. Cointreau is a name brand, that's all. < It's true that Cointreau is a brand-name triple sec, but what a huge difference in flavor there is in the Cointreau version than any "triple sec" I've tried. If you know of a "triple sec" that tastes as good as Cointreau (and is cheaper), I'd sure like to know about it. Thu Sep 03 21:35:06 -0700 2009 4272769 10724 Mick Ruthven 1 5004239 la belle orange is a good substitute -- and about $10-15 cheaper per bottle, iirc. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/427748 look for this bottle: http://www.beveragewarehouse.com/search/more_info.php?item_id=2833 Fri Sep 04 04:31:41 -0700 2009 1940847 105717 alkapal