Knowra Shortening Shortening Shortening is a solid or semisolid fat used in baking to produce a tender texture. It limits gluten development by coating flour particles and can trap air during creaming.
Gluten : A network of wheat proteins that forms when flour is hydrated and mixed. Shortening limits the hydration and bonding that build this elastic network.
Triglyceride : A lipid molecule made of glycerol bonded to three fatty acids. Most edible fats, including shortening, consist largely of triglycerides.
Pie crust : A pastry shell made from flour, fat, and liquid, used for sweet or savory fillings. Shortening can make crust tender, though it contributes less buttery flavor than butter.
Butter : A dairy fat made by churning cream, containing milk fat, water, and milk solids. Butter adds dairy flavor and water, while shortening is typically nearly all fat.
Trans fat : Unsaturated fat containing at least one trans-configured carbon–carbon double bond. Partial hydrogenation once made shortening firm while creating industrial trans fats.
Creaming (cooking) : A mixing method that beats fat with sugar to incorporate air. Plastic shortening can hold air bubbles that expand during baking.
Saturated fat : A fat whose fatty acids contain no carbon–carbon double bonds. Saturation influences whether fats are solid or semisolid at room temperature.
Biscuit (bread) : A small quick bread leavened with baking powder or baking soda. Cut-in shortening creates fat pockets that help produce a flaky crumb.
Lard : Rendered pork fat used in cooking and baking. Lard is an animal-fat alternative that can produce tender, flaky pastry.
Partially hydrogenated oil : An oil processed by adding hydrogen to some, but not all, of its unsaturated bonds. It was widely used in shortening before industrial trans fats faced restrictions.
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