Bakery shortening is referred to the oil or the fat that is used for baking. It is primarily used for making the product soft and velvety. This helps in improving the taste and the quality of the food that is baked, thus making it tender and soft to eat.
The shortening products used should be tasteless and also odorless, as it helps in enriching the flavor of the products.
The fats or the oils used for the shortening process:
The oils or fats that are used for the process of shortening are as follows:
- Animal fats
- Vegetable fats
Animal fats are solid in nature, whereas the vegetable fats also known as edible oils, are in the liquid state, and are golden brown in color. It must be remembered that most fats are harder, and so they have higher melting temperatures. Therefore, they can be classified into 2 types, namely the soft and hard fats.
Since animal fats have high cholesterol content, most of the bakeries prefer using vegetable oils to manufacture shortening these days.
Effect of using fat in the process of shortening
The effect that a bakery shortening has on the baked products are as follows:
- To improve the quality of the baked products
Bakery shortening is used for the making of breads, cookies, sweet dough, cakes, crackers and pastries.
It makes the products tender and desirable to eat. The amount of shortening in the baked product completely depends on the recipe and the nature of the baked products.
- To improve the appearance of the baked products
The shortening imparts the quality of richness in the baked products and also helps in improving the appearance of the products that is baked. The pleasing smooth crust of breads, the velvety and soft crumbs of the cake and also of the bread, the desirable flakiness of the pastries, all depends on the method of shortening of the baked products.
- Enhances the quality of baked products
The bakery shortening is done by distributing the oil and the fats together, which helps in imparting softness in the crumbs and keeping it softer for a longer period of time. This also helps in lessening the moisture of the baked products and keeps them fresh and soft for a longer period of time.
- Contributes to the value of the baked products
The oil and fats that are used in making baked products keep our body warm. They also help in easy digestion of food and contribute to what is known as the “powered meal. “ Nowadays, many companies manufacture shortening without trans-fats, which is a healthier option.
The place where the baked products should not be kept
The baked products, which have undergone shortening, should not be stored in the place where it is exposed to:
- Light
- Warmth
- Air
- Moisture
All these factors produce rancidity of oil and fats and spoils the taste of the baked products.
How and where to store baked products
It should be kept in mind that while storing the baked products, you should tightly cover it before storage and must be stored in dry and cool place.