For all the bakers: 3 QUICK questions on SHORTENING?

Question

Hi all! :) Sorry for asking such elementary questions, but I'm not all that experienced as a baker and I don't have time right now to search around the Internet for this.

Question 1: there's a cookie recipe I want to try that calls for "butter shortening". What's that?? I thought there were 2 types of shortening sources: animal (i.e. lard, which I'd never use), and plant (i.e. vegetable shortening). What is "butter shortening"? Do you think they actually meant to say "butter OR shortening" and forgot the "or"?

Question 2: there's a cupcake recipe I want to try that calls for "shortening" but doesn't say which type. I hope it's OK to use vegetable shortening, because I refuse to use lard.

Question 3: since I currently don't even have vegetable shortening in the house, can I substitute something else, like butter, butter and vegetable oil, or whatever? If so, what's the proper ratio?

Thanks! :)

Answer 1

Question 1- They most likely want you to use butter flavored shortening, it's just shortening with a butter flavor added. I don't think there's is butter flavored lard.

Question 2- In baking when a recipe asks for shortening it means a vegetable shortening like Crisco, rarely would you use lard, unless it states in the recipe and even then only for say flour tortillas or a pie crust.

Question 3- You can use real butter instead of the shortening but your results will vary. If your recipe calls for 1 cup shortening you can use 1 cup butter instead, so its equal proportions. Never substitute oil for shortening.
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

1 butter flavored shortening

2 either animal or vegetable will work, as will lard they are interchangeable

3 you can sub butter for shortening, but you must tweak slightly to accout for the water content of butter, slightly more butter, slightly less water or another liquid, butter is 12-17 % water so kinda fiddle with it some

Answer 3

butter shortening is different, it is sold as such at the market, and has a buttery flavor, which the recipe calls for

shortening is vegetable shortening

you cant substitute

Answer 4

A veg is a plant or part of a herb used as food

Answer 5

Both are good for you, each fruit/vegetable has different vitamins. Thus as more variety, as better. Vegetables have generally less sugar than fruits.