Fats & Oils

Shortening

Lesson objective - 1

Today we will learn the following:

LO1

Develop an understanding of Saturated and unsaturated fats

LO2

How to shorten pastry using saturated fat (butter)

LO3

Explain how hydrogenation is used to convert unsaturated oil to saturated fat.

Must Demonstrate a basic

understanding of why fat and oil is used in food.

Identify 1 type of fat and describe fat is used in the

shortening process

ShouldDemonstrate a good

understanding of why fat and oil is used in food.

Identify 2 types of fat and describe how fat is used in the

shortening process

CouldDemonstrate an excellent

understanding of the shortening process and

hydrogenated process. Identify 2 types of fat and critically

describe how fat is used in the shortening process

Fats & Oils

Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature, like the vegetable oils

used in cooking. Oils come from many different plants and from fish. Oils are NOT a food group, but they

provide essential nutrients.

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Some commonly eaten oils include:

• canola oil• corn oil• cottonseed oil• olive oil• safflower oil• soybean oil• sunflower oil

Some oils are used mainly as flavourings, such as walnut oil and sesame oil. A number of foods are naturally high in oils, like:

• nuts• olives• some fish• avocados

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TGW-Corpus Christi Catholic Sports College

Solid fats are fats that are solid at room temperature, like butter and shortening. Solid fats come from mainly animal foods and can be made from vegetable oils through a process called hydrogenation. Some common fats are:

•butter•milk fat•beef fat (tallow, suet)•chicken fat•pork fat (lard)•stick margarine•shortening•partially hydrogenated oil

During hydrogenation, vegetable oils are reacted with hydrogen gas at about 60ºC. The double bonds are converted to single bonds in the reaction. In this way unsaturated fats can be made into saturated fats – they are hardened.

Fat is naturally present in many foods.Animal products are sources of mainly

saturated fats,

Plant oils typically supply unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats)

in our diet.

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Shortening uses solid fat (butter) and is used to prevent the formation of a gluten matrix

in dough products.This process is important for many baked goods, such as pie crusts, because gluten creates a gummy or chewy end product. When fat is worked into dry flour, the fat

creates a barrier between gluten molecules, thus preventing them from cross-linking once

a liquid is added.

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The final size of the fat pieces will determine the final texture of the baked product.

Pea sized fat pieces tend to createa flakey product, such as a pie crust or croissant,

while a texture that resembles coarse sand will create crumbly mixtures like streusel.

Vegetable shortening has a neutral flavor, unlike butter or lard, and can be used for applications where strong fat flavors are not desired.

Diets that are high in saturated fat (mainly from animal products) and trans fat (mainly found in commercially prepared foods like baked goods and fried foods), have been

linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. That’s why health professionals

suggest we consume less of saturated fats and avoid trans fat.

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A lot of the fat in our diet is not seen – it’s already in the foods we have purchased. However, added

fats like oils used in stir-fries, dressings on our salads and spreads on bread, can contribute even

more fat to our diets. The Food Guide suggests limiting these types of visible fats and using mostly

unsaturated varieties.

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Bicester Community College

Healthy Fats

Type of Fat Major Food Sources

Monounsaturated Fat / Monounsaturates Olive, canola and peanut oils, avocados, non-hydrogenated margarines, nuts and seeds

Polyunsaturated Fat / PolyunsaturatesOmega-6 FatOmega 3 Fat

Safflower, sesame, sunflower and corn oils, non-hydrogenated margarines, nuts and seedsFattier fish, canola and soybean oils, flax seed, omega-3 eggs, walnuts, pecans and pine nuts

Unhealthy Fats

Type of Fat Major Food Sources

Saturated Fat / Saturates

Trans Fats

In many prepared foods made with hydrogenated oils, as well as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, butter, lard, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and cocoa butter

In all foods made with shortening or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and many snack foods, fast foods and ready-prepared foods