Shortening

Shortening a N. American expression for any fat or oil used in baking to make the finished item short (tender) in texture. The type of fat used as shortening depends on individual recipes, and the term has the advantage of being neutral and non-specific. In the past butter and lard were the most important; oils were of less use to the home cook, as they tend to give greasy, mealy textures in baked goods. Over the last 100 years, margarine, and various compounds of lipids (often vegetable derived and partly hydrogenated), combined with emulsifiers and pre-creamed for easier mixing, have been designed for shortening particular bakery products in industry.