Butter vs shortening in pie crust is no contest after my test

I made two pie crusts last Saturday side by side. One used cold butter cut in like normal, the other used vegetable shortening. The butter crust flaked perfectly and had this rich taste that made the apple filling sing. The shortening one just felt greasy and kind of bland on the tongue. Has anyone else quit using shortening after a head to head bake like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_parker26d ago

Have you ever tried a hybrid approach, like half butter half shortening? I actually get way better results with all shortening for my crusts. The butter one always spreads too much on me and loses its shape, while shortening holds those sharp edges and stays tender. Also, if you toast your shortening slightly before adding it, you get a nutty flavor that beats plain butter in my book. Your mileage may vary but I switched away from butter years ago and never looked back.

lauras8326d ago

Toasting shortening actually changes its chemical structure so it won't cream the same way in a crust.

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