subbing butter for shortening???

[JJ40]

AD mentioned in a thread that she substitutes butter for shortening in the angel biscuit recipe.

I've often wondered if you can simply replace shortening with butter. I never buy shortening, and don't particularly want to start. But I assume that if they called for shortening specifically, there must be a reason for it.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

TIA,
Julie http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[BlueMoose]

Strangely enough, I was making cookies with shortening yesterday and noticed on the label that to substitute shortening for butter, you need to add some extra liquid. So I'm assuming if you want to use butter instead of shortening you would need to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe. But I'm sure someone will come to the rescue with the exact formula shortly!

You are going to get a different flavor, though, using butter instead of shortening. What are you making, by the way?

[lorilei]

In many baked goods, shortening keeps the product moist as well as giving cookies a "puffier" texture. Butter tends to make bakery "crisp" "buttery" and less "light" (consistency-wise).

Substituting butter for shortening /can/ work, but it won't always offer the same results. If you're concerned about the health issues in using shortening, why not try one of the new non-hydrogenated organic shortenings?

[AD]

Unless the recipe has a very large amount of fat (as in pie crusts or croissants) or you're frying, it should not be a problem. I have personally tried the biscuits both ways, and think all biscuits taste better with butter than with shortening.

There is probably more of a risk when you replace butter with shortening, but I have always used butter instead with no problems. It adds more flavor, but I have never seen any texture differences in baked products I've tried it with.

I just thought I might mention that I am a "he." http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by AD (edited 06-20-2001).]

[Peeps]

I bake a lot and I have never once purchased shortening or would never even think of having it in the house - ugh! So I often substitute margerine for shortening (I don't like butter much and tend not to use it) and have never had any problem at all - even for pie crusts, etc. I just use the same amount and never make any other adjustments and it always works fine for all kinds of baked goods.

[JJ40]

My apologies, AD! I did actually stop to think that you might be a 'he', but figured that statistically speaking, you weren't!

Forgive me!

Julie http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif