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Bakeware
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Baking With Fats
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Nearly all baked goods depend on fat for flavor, texture and volume. It is important to understand how fats work in order to master the art of baking.
Crisp butter cookies, light and silky chiffon cakes and flaky pastry crusts all derive their special character from the amount and type of fat used in the recipe.
Different types of fat
Fat in cooking consists of a variety of edible, greasy, solid or liquid substances that are a by-product of animal or plant cells. Fats or oils are either saturated or unsaturated. The most commonly used saturated fats are butter, margarine, vegetable oil, shortening, lard, coconut oil and palm oil.
Butter is generally used in baking cookies and pastries for its special flavor. Vegetable shortening and lard make pie crusts flaky. Vegetable oil gives muffins and chiffon cakes a light moist texture. Coconut and palm oil add flavor when deep frying.
Butter or Margarine?
Many recipes call for either butter or margarine. Although both are acceptable, they have different characteristics. Margarine is less expensive than butter and easier to handle. Butter has a delicious flavor and should be used when baking for a more pronounced buttery taste.
Butter
Butter is the best choice for baking shortbread, any plain cookie and pound cakes. Using butter results in the richest flavor and most tender texture. Unsalted sweet butter, usually made from a superior grade of cream, is preferred for baked goods. If unsalted sweet butter is not available, substitute grade ‘A’ salted butter and reduce the amount of salt in the recipe.
Margarine
Margarine is acceptable when baking many types of biscuits, pie crusts and some cookies. Margarine is made of different types of fats. For health reasons, choose a low or no cholesterol margarine made with unsaturated oil, such as safflower, canola, corn or unhydrogenated vegetable oil. Unsalted margarine has a neutral taste, while salted margarine has a stronger flavor. Reduced calorie margarine is not recommended for baking because it contains too little fat to tenderize baked goods.
Vegetable Oil
Oil can be use for a substitute for margarine when baking some cakes, cookies and breads. It is also the best fat for baking chiffon cakes. There are many types of vegetable oils to choose from, such as safflower, canola, corn, walnut and olive oils. Some oils like safflower, canola and corn are neutral in taste, while others such as walnut and olive oil lend a distinctive flavor to baked goods. When oil is called for in a recipe, use a neutral flavored oil. Corn oil is considered best for deep frying, but other vegetable oils can be used.
Solid Vegetable Shortening
Solid vegetable shortening is easy to handle and inexpensive. Use it for Baking biscuits, muffins, pie crusts and some cookies. It is white and has a neutral flavor. Butter-flavored versions are available; some recipes call for them to give a buttery flavor.
Lard
Lard is an excellent choice for pie crusts, some types of breads, cookies and for deep frying. Lard is white and has a mild nutty flavor.
Coconut and Palm Oil
Use Coconut or Palm Oil for a different taste when deep frying. They have a subtle flavor and a higher smoking or burning point.
Storage
Butter, margarine, and lard should be wrapped tightly and refrigerated. Most oils can be stored at room temperature for several weeks, except for walnut and peanut oils which are more perishable. Store shortening at room temperature, but chill as recipe directs. Example: Pie crusts.
Tips and Facts
• Most sticks of butter and margarine have tablespoon measures marked on the package.
• Before creaming butter, allow to come to room temperature. Thinly sliced pieces of butter will soften more quickly than a wrapped stick of butter.
• When creaming butter and sugar it’s best to use an electric mixer. This ensures that enough air is beaten in, giving cookies and cakes a fuller volume and lighter texture.
• Butter and margarine can be melted over a low heat on the stove top, or more quickly in the microwave. Cool melted fat to room temperature when called for in a recipe.
• Use coconut, palm and vegetable oils for deep frying doughnuts and other pastries. Check the oil temperature with a thermometer.
• Vegetable oil and, in some cases, liquid margarine are used in muffins, chiffon cakes, some cookies and many different breads.
Source
Great American Home Baking
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