Topic: the difference between tartaric acid and citric acid

[happygardner]

Hello there  I picked some elder flowers today just wondering what the difference was between these were as I would like to make some cordial could I use cream of tartar could somebody help me please many thanks lorraine

[plot51A]

I made some elderflower cordial for the first time yesterday - so easy and really lovely. I used citric acid - all the recipes I found gave that, so no idea if you can use tartaric acid I'm afraid. Would encourage you to give the cordial a go though! ;D

[Bugloss2009]

cream of tartar isn't tartaric acid by the way.You can't use it as a substitute for citric acid

[Buster54]

Cream of tartar is the potassium salt of tartaric acid that's left on the inside of wine casks once grapes have fermented.
It is used to stabilize and add volume to beaten egg whites,(meringues)It lends a creamier texture in sugary desserts. Cream of tartar can be used to make baking powder

Tartaric acid (E334), like citric acid (E330), stops bacteria in its tracks, and they both also give a tart flavour to the finished drink.

Citric acid is a weak organic acid. it is a natural preservative  and is also used to add an acidic, or sour, taste to foods and soft drinks

Tartaric acid is a white crystalline diprotic  organic acid. It occurs naturally in many plants, particularly grapes, bananas, and tamarinds, and is one of the main acids found in wine. It is added to other foods to give a sour taste, and is used as an antioxidant.
Although I haven't used Tartaric acid myself but I would try it in the future if I was stuck,and I would leave the Cream of tartar for the baking

[dirty fingers]

iv been told you can use both but not the stuff you have. you can also use none check out this one
http://snagglepat.livejournal.com/176184.html
i made this on the weekend and it was allright, i think the acid i think is just a preservative. if you google elderflower cordial there are loads of recipes

[happygardner]

thanks dirty fingers it looks quite easy to make also thanks to the other people for their useful information I think that I will try it with out either its all a bit confused.com haha
lorraine

[dirty fingers]

i bought some citric acid from eBay on sunday and it arrived today.  so ill try it with some of that this weekend. you could try this one if you want,
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=65388
 i used the one without citric acid coz i didn't realize i needed it till i picked them, also i was told not all chemist have it (something to do with drug addicts) anyway good luck its a very awesome drink try it with fizz water, i wounder what its like with lemonade?

[happygardner]

you are a mine of infomation dirty fingers thanks for that lorraine

[caroline7758]

I have got a recipe which uses cream of tartar, but can't remember whether I've evr used it!

[Bugloss2009]

cream of tartar is in baking powder

[Trevor_D]

It's years since I did wine-making, but citric acid used to be the basic acidity used (one up from plain lemon juice). Then, in the '60s they discovered - and marketed - tartaric acid, which gave a more rounded flavour. You could then - and presumably can only now - get it through specialist suppliers. IT IS NOT REMOTELY THE SAME STUFF AS CREAM OF TARTAR!!

If you can lay your hands on it - from a proper home-brew place - then use it. Otherwise, lemon juice is fine.

[lincsyokel2]

Tartaric Acid is made from Potassium Tartate, It occurs naturally in many plants, particularly grapes, bananas, and tamarinds, and is one of the main acids found in wine. It is added to other foods to give a sour taste, and is used as an antioxidant

Potassium Tartrate is often confused with potassium bitartrate, also known as cream of tartar. As a food additive, it shares the E number E336 with potassium bitartrate.

Citric Acid, on the other hand is a naturally occurring preservative and mild organic acid usually found in citrus fruits.

Baking Powder is Sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate, and not at all related to or interchangeable with the other three