Fat

Fat Lard, white cooking fat, butter and margarine are used in bread-making. Not an essential ingredient but if a little is rubbed into the flour, it softens the crumb to provide a finer texture and also improves the keeping qualities of the baked loaf. Proportions are about ½oz (15g) per 1lb (450g) or l–2oz (25–50g) per 3lb (1.4kg) in a plain bread dough. Rich bun doughs have a higher proportion of fat in order to make a softer texture. For some continental breads, butter is softened or melted and added at a later stage in the recipe. A high proportion of fat slows yeast