[Sca-cooks] bread, again

[Terry Decker]

All of the shortenings will work, but will produce slightly different 
results

If you are making a basic wheat bread, then the shortening isn't necessary. 
Shortening will reduce the rise and soften crumb and crust, which may be 
good or bad depending on what you intend.

Shortenings have flavor.  If you are making an enriched dessert dough, use 
butter.  If you're making pizza dough, olive oil.  And personally, I don't 
use straight canola oil in baking.   If you want to avoid flavor, a general 
vegetable shortening or oil has about the least flavor.  The choice of solid 
or liquid depends on precisely what you are doing.  Liquid fats tend to be 
partially absorbed into the flour while solid fat won't be absorbed until it 
melts in the baking.  Each produces different qualities in the finished 
product.  My general preference is for solid shortening and I keep several 
pounds of unsalted butter in the refrigerator and a can of Crisco on the 
shelf.  Solid shortening is also better for greasing baking tins.

If you could provide more information about what you are trying to achieve, 
we might be able to give you better answers.

Bear

> I'm looking to make bread, which calls for shortening.
>
> Will it still work if I use olive oil, canola or butter?
>
> -- 
> Ian of Oertha