I've just started to make rough puff pastry (haven't tried the real thing yet!) and I'm reasonably satisfied with my results.
However I was reading in a copy of 'Professional Baking 4th Edition,' that:
I know butter has some water content and that shortening has not. I usually substitute butter for shortening and not worry about the water. I'm wondering if the butter was heated until the water evaporated (like making clarified butter) and the resulting butter cooled, would this give nearly identical results to shortening? If not, why not?
Thanks!
This post is a bit off topic as it's really about nutritional quality of the ingredients rather than baking quality.
A recent post on trans fats got me thinking about good ole lard. I've never cooked or baked with it, but I understand it is available for purchase in many places now. My addled brain says that it is in fact less of a health problem than the hydrogenated vegetable shortening which replaced it.
I cook and bake with butter - OK, sometimes way too much butter. From a nutrition standpoint is lard really any different?
