custard cream rant

[sphil]

Bloody hell - Trufree have just put MILK in their gluten, egg, nut and previously dairy free custard creams. These are the only biscuits DS2 can and will eat (he's 5, with ASD). We use them all the time for ABA reinforcers.

Does anyone know of any other biscuits (not chocolate as for some reason he seems to react even to cocoa) that are free from dairy, egg, nuts and gluten? Do you think a letter to Trufree might be in order?

Have put this in allergies too, but thought more people might reply here!

Oh God - what a nightmare! Have you tried searching on the internet for other brands of biscuits. Sometimes they have better (and tastier) things abroad! (but I only suffer from a gluten intolerance - have no experience of dairy intolerance) Could you try making your own - there must be some recipes on the internet. Good luck, and hopefully somebody will come along who knows what they are talking about.

Rich tea fingers although you need to check the gluten.. not sure on that, as DS tolerates gluten.

How can Trufree do that?! Yes a letter definitely or order!

in order

Aren't they the ones being withdrawn as it was an error? If so you should be able to buy more soon once they have sorted out the production error.

Just posted athis link on other thread.

oh bugger. My frienh has something but they look a bit erm- green - they look like hemp with chocolate on top ds3 refused to even try them. I could ask her what they're called if you want.

Oh do hope it was an error.

I'm clinging to hope that it's an error - will google in a minute and see if I can find a reference. DuchessONB - thanks so much for that link - def some things on there I can try. Yurt - I think your friend's cookies might be a step too far for DS2... the good thing about custard creams is that they've got suspicious looking 'bits'.

HAVEN'T got suspicious looking bits...

will scour the supermarket gf section next week to see if I can find something suitable.

• not an error. Apparently they've added ' a small amount of milk' (as if the amount makes any difference fgs) 'to improve the taste'. Have fired off angry e-mail but in the mean time I shall take my custom to Goodness Direct!

Thanks TotalChaos - you 're very kind!

Hi

I was in Sainsbury's this morning and I noticed custard creams in their 'Free From' range ( free from gluten)

Would these be any use?

sorry just realised the issue is milk not gluten. I am sure there must be web sites where you order biscuits like that ?

Very big error on their part I would have thought. Finding dairy free biscuits is hard and I bet they loose a lot of custom.

dd1 used to eat these all the time and IIRC the taste was fine.

Very annoying for you.

OK I have worked it out, sorry if I confused you or gave you false hope Waitrose had a withdrawl notice for them so I thought it was a production error but in fact it is because they have caused allergic reactions as they have changed the recipe on purpose

link to the FSA site for you

DH found some Rich Teas in Sainsburys Freefrom range today which look OK. DS2 won't like them though because of the lack of cream. We break the custard creams into tiny pieces when we use them as reinforcers for ABA - he has started handing them back if they haven't got any cream on them .

Perhaps I should take him to the Trufree office - he can shout 'BIKKIT!' at them over and over again in his loudest voice (as he did in the shoe shop today - cue for much tutting from old ladies at his apparent rudeness ).

I remember reading about that on the PLanet Lactose blog, last week. Quite a few people got stung by the change, it seems

I was going to suggest trying him with rice cakes but I read on and saw that he insists on the cream. If you made your own homemade "butter"cream and spread a little of that on some of the rich tea biscuit, do you think he would accept it?

Bog-standard (Mc vities?) rich teas can be dairy free .... but only if you get the right shape - when I last looked the oval ones are OK, not the round ones. Then you could make up like a thick buttercream with icing sugar and PURE and glue the two together?

If you're going to that much trouble though, we always make our own biscuits - I have a recipe for more-or-less hobnobs which is LUSH though may be too "bitty" for him - can post that if it helps?

Ooh yes please r3dh3d - he's OK with bitty as long as no nuts or oats. I'm fine with making savoury stuff for him - but my gf/cf baking really lets me down! (though have cracked the bread now - Lakeland do a mix). Would love not to buy any processed stuff ideally.

That's a fab idea about the homemade cream too - though would have to do in very small batches I guess or they'd go soggy.

You're all great btw - who would have thought a thread about custrad creams would get his many replies?

I have a recipe for custard creams, woudl that help? Can have a hunt for it if it would

Here it is, some would have to be replaced with gluten free stuff but might be worth a try.
Cream 200g butter and 85g sugar, blend in 75g custard powder (this is what I am really unsure about as I don't know what is in it!) 225g self raising flour and a few drops of vanilla essence.
Roll into small balls and place well apart on greased baking sheets.
FLatten with fork and bake at GM4 for 15-20 minutes until pale golden brown.
Beat 55g butter, 115g golden icing sugar and few drops of vanilla and use to sandwich bisuits together.

Wouldn't you just keep the "butter cream" in the fridge/cupboard (depending upon texture) & spread as needed?

KatyMac - could you havea tub of buttercream in your fridge, with biscuits to go with it, and not eat it?!

Well I'd have to - High cholesterol doncha know

Now chocolate spread (not that yukky Nutella)....or even homemade choc spread Mmmmmm

But Chocolate is good for you

Is Gluten free bread any good in a toastie maker? If so Apple sauce with choc sprinkles make a lovely toastie but choc spread by it's self is divine......just in case you are even short on treats for yourself (as I see DS can't have choc)

I'm sorry, it does have oats in! However, I'm going to write it down in case it helps someone else - it's a fab recipe for Dairy Free so worth sharing. How bitty it is depends on the sort of oats you use - we use the traditional conservation grade ones, which means it comes out more bitty: if you used instant porridge oats I
imagine it's hardly bitty at all.

250g PURE or other dairy free marg
50g caster sugar
100g light muscovado sugar
150g self-raising flour
225g porridge oats
250g dried fruit, nuts, whatever.

Heat oven to 180C

Beat PURE and sugar together till light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and oats and mix well. Add chopped fruit and nuts, whatever you fancy; I tend to use things like dried cranberries or mixed peel which don't annoy and are small enough not to need chopping.

Using 2 teaspoons, one to scoop up the mix and the other to scrape it off the first spoon, blob individual biscuits out onto a non-stick baking sheet. Don't worry about shaping it, it flattens as it cooks. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. When cool enough to touch, transfer to a wire rack and store when completely cool in an airtight container.

I get about 3 baking sheets' worth out of this recipe, cooking one while laying the next one out.

sphil

My local Somerfield supermarket still carry the former recipe packets of these Trufree biscuits (these packets state milk free on the box). If there is a Somerfield near you it may be worth having a look there.

If you wish I would be more than happy to send you a couple of packets of biscuits for your son. Just cat me your details

With best wishes

Attila