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SHORTENINGS / FATS & OILS
Fats are solid at normal temperature & melt when heated . For eg-Lard , Suet
,Drippings, Hydrogenated fat.
Oils are liquid at normal temperature but solidify at lower temperature. For eg:-
Coconut oil, Sesame oil, Cottonseed oil , Olive oil, Peanut oil ,Mustard oil ,Corn oil,
Sunflower oil.
Fats should be stored in a cold store or refrigerator in warm weather.
(A) BUTTER (LE BEURRE):- Butter must be kept away from strong smelling
foods. Butter is produced by churning fresh cream. 1 litre cream yeilds
approximately ½ kg butter.
Food value:- butter is an energy food as it has a very high fat content.
Quality:- The taste should be creamy & pleasant. The texture should be soft &
smooth. It must smell fresh. The colour of pure butter is almost white or pale yellow.
Fresh butter should be used quickly otherwise it goes RANCID (ACQUIRES AN
UNPLEASANT SMELL& TASTE) .
Uses:- Butter is used for most kitchen purposes where expenses have not to be
considered.
1. making roux for soups & sauces
2. Maitre d' hotel beurre -- it means creamed butter, chopped parsley , seasonings ,
lime juice mixed & put into a butter paper & then refrigerated. .M D H B is the
accompaniment for Pomfret Colbert.
3. Used for warm/ hot emulsion sauce Hollandaise.
4. Used for cakes.
5. Used for butter creams.
6. Used in vegetable preparations & pot roasting.
GHEE IS CLARIFIED BUTTER USED IN INDIAN COOKING.
(B) MARGARINE (LA MARGARINE):- Margarine is produced from milk & a
blend of vegetable oils emulsified with lecithin , flavourings , salt, colourings &
vitamin a &d.
Food value:-Margarine is an energy food & protective food . With the exception of
palm oil, the oils used in manufacture of margarine do not contain vitamin a&d ,
these are added during production . Margarine is not inferior to butter from the
nutritional point of view.
Compiled by Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji. 2
USE:- Margarine can be used in place of butter .The difference being that the smell
is not so pleasant & nut brown butter ( beurre noisette ) or black butter (beurre
noir) cannot be satisfactorily produced from margarine.
The flavour of margarine when used in the kitchen is inferior to butter , it is
therefore not so suitable for finishing sauces & dishes.
It should be remembered that it is equally nutritious & may be cheaper than butter.
ANIMAL FATS
Lard:- it is rendered fat from pig. It has almost 100% fat content.
Suet:- it is from the kidney regions of animals ( lamb ). Beef suet is the best.
Dripping:- it is obtained from clarified animal fats & is used for deep or shallow
frying.
OILS
EXAMPLES OF OILS:-
1) CORN OIL
2) SUNFLOWER OIL
3) SESAME OIL
4) ALMOND OIL
5) OLIVE OIL
6) ARACHIDE OIL ( GROUNDNUT OIL)
7) COCONUT OIL
8) SOYA BEAN OIL ----- LOW SHELF LIFE
HYDROGENATION OF OILS:- Whale oil, cottonseed oil , soya bean oil, peanut oil
etc are sold as SHORTENINGS of varying consistencies .The conversion of oil into
fat is brought about by a process known as HYDROGENATION. This consists of
treating oil under pressure & at a suitable temperature with hydrogen , in the
presence of a catalyst usually NICKEL.
Under these conditions the unsaturated fatty acids present in oil combine
with the hydrogen. This chemical process brings about a physical change , the liquid
oil becoming a solid fat. The varying consistencies are due to the process of
hydrogenation being stopped at different stages.
FATS ARE KNON AS SHORTENING AGENTS
THEY ARE USED AS A FRYING MEDIA.
THEY ARE ALSO USED TO ENRICH FOODS.
Collectively they are reffered to as shortening qualities . Their effect is to break
down or destroy the toughness of gluten.
So that the resulting product readily melts in the mouth .
Compiled by Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji. 3
THE FACTORS TO LOOK FOR IN SHORTENINGS ARE:-
1) Creaming value-it affects the cake volume .
2) Shortening value -- crispness in wafers.
3) Stability-keeping quality.
4) Consistency- hardness in puff pastry & softness in cake making.
5)Water absorption power- emusification.
RENDERING OF FAT :-
Rendering of fat is the process of melting to extract fat from fatty tissues .A good
supply of drippings can be obtained by rendering down suet, ( fat obtained from the
kidney regions of the sheep or beef).
THIS CAN BE DONE IN TWO WAYS:-
1)Cut the fat into small pieces & place in a baking tray / tin in a slow oven, until the
fat has melted & there are only crisp brown pieces of tissues left .Strain through a
fine cloth into a clean basin pressing the tissues to squeeze out all the fat.
2)Cut the pieces of fat as above method. Place in a pan without a lid & with very
little water .Boil until the water has evaporated & then heat gently , until the fat
melts & leaves only crisp brown pieces of tissue. Strain as before.
In both the cases the temperature should not be too high or else the fat will
decompose.
CLARIFICATION OF FAT---
This is a method of cleaning used fat . For this process put fat in a pan with enough
water to cover . Bring to a boil without covering . Strain & cool .Lift off the cake of
fat floating on the top, turn it upside down & scrape off any foreign particles
sticking to the bottom . The fat is then heated gently till it stops bubbling, to remove all water particles.
Scientific Food Center - Facts
Jordan-Amman
email: info@facts-center.com
Web: www.facts-center.com
Technically, butter is a form of shortening, because shortening means any form of fat or oil. (Lard, suet, butter, margarine, Crisco).
Generally, if a modern recipe calls for shortening it is referring to a vegetable shortening such as Crisco. Older recipes may be referring to any solid shortening.
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Can you subsatute butter and shortning for butter flavor shortning?
Yes shortening and butter are the same thing.
How much butter is needed to substitute for shortening in bread recipe?
Use the same amount of butter as you would shortening. In bread, a tablespoon of butter can be used instead of a tablespoon of shortening. The same amount of canola oil is even healthier.
What is softened shortening?
It is most likely to be shortening which has been allowed to warm to room temperature, so that it becomes softer. (This is what "softened butter" is, so I assume it means the same thing for shortening).
When baking is shortening the same as butter?
In most cases, yes, shortening can replace butter without additional adjustments. But shortening will not give the same taste as butter, so additional flavorings may be needed. In some very sensitive cakes and pastries, the difference in water content might effect the results. Butter has slightly more water content than shortening.
Is butter the same as shortening?
No, butter and shortening are not the same. Butter is made from dairy and has a distinctive flavor, while shortening is typically plant-based and has a higher melting point, which can be beneficial for certain baking purposes.
How does shortening used in small quantities with margarine and butter improve cakes?
Well, butter mostly accomplishes the same thing, namely providing a space-holder, if you will, so that tiny air bubbles can expand during baking. However, shortening accomplishes this slightly better, being somewhat stiffer--although butter can be manipulated (part of the recommended quantity of butter chilled, then flaked) to mimic shortening.
When using butter instead of shortening do you still use the same amount of butter as shortening?
Yes, you would only make changes if substituting shortening for butter, in which case you would add 6 teaspoons of water to the 1 cup of shortening to replace the 1 cup of butter.
What is the difference between Crisco brand butter shortening and Crisco brand shortening?
Crisco brand butter shortening contains butter flavor, while regular Crisco brand shortening does not. This gives the butter shortening a buttery taste that the regular shortening lacks. Both can be used interchangeably in recipes that call for shortening.
If a recipe calls for butter flavored shortening can you use regular white shortening?
Yes, but the flavor will be altered and not have the butter flavor from the butter flavored shortening
What are the advantages of using butter and using shortening in butter creme icings?
The advantages of using butter and using shortening in butter creme icings include butter's good taste, and the shortening in butter seals the moisture in the cake.
Does butter work the same as shortening?
Butter and shortening have different melting points, which can affect the texture of baked goods. Butter adds flavor while shortening creates a more tender, flakier texture. Substituting one for the other may change the outcome of your recipe.
How much butter to substitute for a fourth cup of vegetable shortening?
The same amount.
