Baking with 100% natural shortening made of palm oil

When it comes to the baking industry, professional bakers and confectioners worldwide seek the best quality ingredients in order to produce excellent baked goods. Shortening, a really versatile vegetable oil product, is a key ingredient in making baked goods like cookies or pie crust.

But why should you use shortening for your baked goods, how is it different from using butter and how to properly choose the best quality shortening for your sweet creations?

Shortening vs. butter: what results do they offer?

In older cookbooks, the majority of recipes call for shortening, while most recipes today use butter. This is because in the past butter was much more expensive than shortening. However, shortening is somewhat more versatile and convenient, as it is also tasteless, has a long shelf life, and can hold its shape without being stored in a cool place or refrigerated.

Shortening and butter are usually interchangeable, but the choice is a matter of personal preference. However, keep in mind that butter and shortening are two very different ingredients, so results will vary slightly depending on the fat used. The same recipe with butter will have a different texture than with shortening.

Experience shows that fat in general will make baked goods tender and moist when incorporated into the dough. It surrounds the flour and other ingredients, breaking down long strands of gluten. Fat incorporated into the dough creates large layers, resulting in a flaky texture and it also helps retain moisture in the finished product.

Shortening is a solid white fat made from 100% vegetable oil, with no water added, which means that there is no steam and no gluten formation during baking. Therefore, the texture of baked goods made with shortening will be tender, soft and moist.

Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, which means that it gives the eggs and flour in your recipe more time to become firm before the shortening melts, reducing the spread of cakes and cookies.

While usually cookies and cakes taste better when made with butter, unflavored shortening is often a better choice. Depending on what you bake, your baked goods will rise higher and be lighter if you use shortening instead of butter.

If you use shortening in pie dough, it prevents the formation of gluten, resulting in a flaky and tender dough with air bubbles that puff when baked.

If you are searching for excellent quality shortening for professional use, we recommend seeking manufacturers that offer all-natural, non-GMO products in order to get the best quality with no compromises when it comes to making healthy choices.

FOODGRID produces great all-purpose shortening made of all-natural palm oil that has excellent oxidative stability, excellent melting and blending profile, while also being non-hydrogenated, trans fat free, non-GMO and free from any harmful artificial preservatives and coloring.

With shortening being a staple ingredient in bakery and confectionery, their trans-fat free and natural oil solutions formulated specially for cookies, biscuits, donuts and general baking applications are perfect for maintaining the perfect taste and texture in any recipe.