Sweet? Check. Creamy? Check. Whipped? Well… Vivian’s Live Again delivered a sweet, delicious topping that all of our tasters enjoyed, but we couldn’t get the mix to reach that “fluffy” consistency we were expecting.
I trialed it first in my own kitchen. Following the instructions to the letter, I mixed the first packet with water and oil, and then added the second packet. “How in the world is this going to thicken up?”, I thought as I stared at the watery slurry. But on went my mixer, and at about minute 3, something magical started to happen. It began thickening into an enticing thick cream. As the package instructs, I mixed for the full 4 1/2 minutes – yes, I even timed it! At that mark, it was good, creamy, somewhat spoonable, but still very soft even though I made it in a high-sided bowl.
Perhaps it needed further whipping? Nope, my mistake. I took the mixer to it again, and within 30 seconds, the mixture started breaking down. It was becoming thinner – yikes! So I didn’t get a good picture, and “whipped” definitely didn’t happen with my package of Vivian’s Live Again, but as a topping, it was still adored. Sweet, thick, creamy and very reminiscent of marshmallow, it was given the thumbs up as a great indulgence for garnishing pies, crisps, and even ice cream.
Since my batch didn’t quite work out, I asked Sarah to trial a second package in her home – she lives across the country, in a different climate – so we could rule out weather, altitude or user error. Her results were identical, but at least she got a picture of Vivian’s Live Again topping at its peak creaminess.
Aside from fruit, Sarah served Vivian’s Live Again creamy topping over chocolate dairy-free ice cream for her kids and they loved it! Her milk allergic daughter said, “I like this whipped topping! It’s like marshmallow fluff.”
So if it were up to our Go Dairy Free team, we would rename this mix: Vivian’s Live Again Creamy “Marshmallow” Topping. Also, keep in mind that this is a pure indulgence for occasional and light indulgence (2 tablespoon servings!). The mix is free of hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. It still isn’t a “whole food” product and does contain thickeners and stabilizers to get that wondrous thickening capability.
The Facts on Vivian’s Live Again Topping Mix
Price: $3.49 per 3.8-ounce mix (makes 2.5 cups)
Certifications: We didn’t notice any certifications on the Vivian’s Live Again Topping Mix.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Vivian’s Live Again Creamy Whipped Topping Mix is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian. Nonetheless, verify on the label and check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Processes, ingredients, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company / product.
For More Product Information: Visit the Vivian’s Live Again website at www.viviansliveagain.com.
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What Others Are Saying ...
A sweet dessert flavor
The high marks are because everyone loved it! The flavor offers a sweet dessert compliment that our testers (of all ages) thought tasted like marshmallow fluff. The star reduction is because it also had the consistency of marshmallow fluff! We tried it in two different kitchens in different climates, and “whipped” and “fluffy” just didn’t happen. But it still works as a sweet-tooth satisfying topping when indulgence is in order (note that this is not a “whole food” product, but it is free of hydrogenated oils).
4 Comments
Just a quick thought, could it be that you need to chill your bowl and your beaters like you would for real whipped cream?
Nope, we did that! I always pre-chill everything.
On my first package of Vivian’s Live Again whipped topping I could not get it to whip up with peaks either. On my second package I tried whipping it in my stand mixer. It whipped up beautifully. It was very fluffy and firm. I haven’t had a problem with it since using my stand mixer.
Thanks Sylvia! We did test with a stand mixer, too, in different kitchens, but no luck. Glad it worked for you though!