March 20, 2019 - 7:06am
How to add shortening in dough - solid or liquid?
I've been adding my shortening as a solid. I was using soften butter, but opted to start using shortening instead. Since shortening almost has the same texture as soften butter, I've just been adding the shortening as is.
However, on the Crisco website, one of their recipes called for melted shortening. Now I'm wondering if I've been adding the shortening to my recipe incorrectly. Should I melt it first -- and then wait for it to drop below 110F to make sure not to kill the yeast before adding to the dough?
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I've seen both ways written in recipes. I don't know if one way is always better (and therefore some of the recipes have it wrong), or if it depends on something (and what the "something" is), or if it just doesn't matter. I'll be interested to find out along with you.
I’m not sure about melting shortening, but it is good to add your fats after the gluten has been developed. From what I’ve read the fats make the dough slippery and because of that it is more difficult to develop the gluten.
i think it depends on how much. Some bread recipes call for a small amount that can be rubbed into the flour until it disappears, and some that call for more have you add it when the dough is partially developed, like brioche. If the fat is added along with the rest of the wet ingredients though, I don't think it really matters whether it's just soft/room temp or melted as long as it's evenly dispersed.