What is the difference between shortening and butter in pie crust

I approve! But still do not go to it as my first choice. I use it as my go-to for vegans there are plenty of organic, non-GMO, fair trade brands out there that I use but, I honestly do not have any problem whatsoever whipping out a big ol' can of Crisco, either. But, I'm still fervently in camp butter. In fact, I find that, if done properly, percent butter can yield a very, very flaky and crisp crust that is also sturdy and very easy to work with. Carey is more open to lard than Donovan or Kelly.

Higher fat crusts can be quite delicate both before and after baking. This is particularly a problem with galettes, less so with pies baked in plates. Food Studios , who is renowned for her fluffy flapjacks , homemade butter , and pretty much everything else she does.

PJ bakes and writes from her home on Cape Cod, where she enjoys beach-walking, her husband, three dogs, and really good food! I alternate between all butter and half butter, half lard.

I cut each into pieces and put in freezer. Then I add the fat from freezer and pulse until blended. Then I put it all into bowl and add the half cup of cold water and mix with a large wooden spoon until it comes together. Then I put flatten disks into refrigerator or freezer. My Grandmother and Mom's recipe flour, cold butter, salt and ice water Treat the dough gently like an old friend and you will have a perfect pie. I watched Mom make pies through out my childhood and my daughter did the same.

Our grandson started making the filling for pumpkin pie from our garden pumpkins, he was 2. At 24, he makes the pumpkin pies for every holiday meal. Tradition taken through the generations. What a great article about pie crust--thank you! I especially appreciated the comparison of butter vs shortening.

A few years ago, my pie crusts weren't coming out as well as they used to. I will definitely be using your all butter pie crust recipe from now on!! PJ Hamel I love words! I love reading your words; in fact, I wish you had the time for a daily blog simply to keep in touch with your Words!

I'm almost certain you have many stories and cooking facts such as the Pie crust testing to share with us. Cranberries aren't just for sauce this year — they also make a show-stopping dessert. View our privacy policy.

Blog Tips and Techniques Butter vs. Recipes in this post. Pie crust — gotta love it, right? Butter vs. The liquid Make it ice water. Ah, now comes the ingredient that arguably makes or breaks a pie crust, and also creates the most debate: The fat Your grandma used lard.

Your mom used shortening. You use butter. Are all fats created equal? I decided to find out. But if butter and vegetable shortening are your choices, read on. Butter makes a lighter crust This was the year.

Now, that may be true. I didn't actually count the number of flaky layers in each crust. Your favorite pie crust recipe might call for butter or shortening, but are they really one in the same?

Meaning, can you use butter when you're baking biscuits , cookies, pies and other recipes that call for shortening and vice versa? Technically, yes. You can use them as a one-to-one swap, according to butter brand Land O'Lakes. But should you? Probably not — if you can avoid it. Swapping one for the other could lead to different flavors, textures or appearances — something you may be able to deal with, but it's best to thoroughly understand each fat first.

Butter adds important fat and flavor to recipes it's used in; it contains 80 percent butterfat and about 20 percent water. Shortening, on the other hand, is all fat, no flavor. It's typically made with vegetable oils and used for its ability to help baked goods retain shape while staying soft. So what really is the difference between butter and shortening?

We talked to North Carolina cooking teacher, professional food writer and seasoned recipe developer Sheri Castle to explain the ins and outs of butter and shortening. The differences between butter and shortening vary, starting with how they're produced in the first place. Butter comes from an animal, typically cow milk , Castle says. Shortening is more closely related to margarine. It's a form of vegetable oil, often hydrogenated palm and soybean oils, and never comes from an animal.

That means shortening technically is vegan. One of the most obvious differences between butter and shortening is apparent when the fats face heat. It has a lower smoke point, and will burn fairly quickly in heat," Castle says. Butter melts, but shortening never would. While butter is yellow, shortening is a soft, powdery white — something Castle says manufacturers used for marketing. If you opt for shortening instead of butter, expect no added flavor in your recipe.

Butter is inherently salty and rich, while shortening is entirely tasteless. That's why people spread butter on their bread, not shortening. It's also why cooks use butter in all sorts of dishes, while shortening is typically used only for baking.

Of course, not all butter is created equally.