The temperature of a fat affects its plas¬
ticity (the plasticity of the hard fats is les¬
sened at low temperature); yet there is some¬
thing other than temperature which deter¬
mines plasticity. Lard and a few other fats
are plastic over a wide range, from refrigera¬
tor temperature to high room temperature.
Table XXXII gives the shortening power of
some of the fats most used for shortening
purposes. The values of various shortenings
have been determined by the use of the
shortometer. This is an instrument for
measuring (by weight) the breaking or
crushing strength of a sample of pastry or
cooky of definite size and thickness made
the cost per pound but also the shortening
power should be considered. The shorten¬
ing power of fat influences the amount of
the fat needed for a certain degree of ten¬
derness.
Substituting Fats. It is frequently neces¬
sary to substitute one fat for another in a
recipe. In many cases, measure for measure
or weight for weight of various fats cannot
be used, especially for shortening. The
amount of actual fat in a cupful or half
pound is not the same for all fats. (See
page 139.) Neither is the shortening power
the same.
In general, butter and margarine may be
substituted one for the other, but when one
of the 100 per cent fats is used in place of
butter or margarine, not over seven-eighths
as much by measure is needed; when lard is
used, only about three-fourths as much.
When the change is the other way round —
butter or margarine substituted for a 100 per
cent fat — at least one-eighth more by meas¬
ure of butter or margarine is needed.
Some hydrogenated fats whose bulk has
been increased by the incorporation of gas
may be used measure for measure in place of
butter. When hydrogenated fats are sub¬
stituted for lard, an additional 1^ to 2 table¬
spoons for each cup of lard designated should
be used. When an unsalted fat is used in
place of a salted one, additional salt is
needed.
SELECTED REFERENCES
American Home Economics Association. Handboo\
of Food Preparation , pp. 6-7. Washington, D.C.,
1946.
Bureau of Dairy Industry. Vitamin A in Butter.
Miscellaneous Publication No. 571, United States
Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.,
1945.
Lowe, Belle. Experimental Cookery, 3d ed., Chap.
XIV. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1943.
[149]
XI • Frozen Desserts
A popular group of American desserts are
the frozen mixtures: ice creams, mousses,
ices, and sherbets. Of these, by far the most
popular is ice cream. This is due to the
pleasing flavor and texture of this popular
food and the ready availability of commercial
ice creams of good quality.
Holmes,1 in an article on the nutritive
value of ice cream, estimated that nearly half
a billion gallons of ice cream were consumed
in the United States during 1943. Ice cream
is an important source of riboflavin and car¬
otene in the diets of this country. With
wider use of fresh and frozen fruit products
in flavoring, ice creams can be made to con¬
tribute important amounts of vitamin C.
Page 139
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The temperature of a fat affects its plasticity (the plasticity of the hard fats is les¬ sened at low temperature); yet there is some¬ thing other than temperature which deter¬ mines plasticity. Lard and a few other fats are plastic over a wide range, from refrigera¬ tor temperature to high room temperature. Table XXXII gives the shortening power of some of the fats most used for shortening purposes. The values of various shortenings have been determined by the use of the shortometer. This is an instrument for measuring (by weight) the breaking or crushing strength of a sample of pastry or cooky of definite size and thickness made
the cost per pound but also the shortening power should be considered. The shorten¬ ing power of fat influences the amount of the fat needed for a certain degree of ten¬ derness.
Substituting Fats. It is frequently neces¬ sary to substitute one fat for another in a recipe. In many cases, measure for measure or weight for weight of various fats cannot be used, especially for shortening. The amount of actual fat in a cupful or half pound is not the same for all fats. (See page 139.) Neither is the shortening power the same.
In general, butter and margarine may be substituted one for the other, but when one of the 100 per cent fats is used in place of butter or margarine, not over seven-eighths as much by measure is needed; when lard is used, only about three-fourths as much. When the change is the other way round — butter or margarine substituted for a 100 per
cent fat — at least one-eighth more by meas¬ ure of butter or margarine is needed.
Some hydrogenated fats whose bulk has been increased by the incorporation of gas may be used measure for measure in place of butter. When hydrogenated fats are sub¬ stituted for lard, an additional 1^ to 2 table¬ spoons for each cup of lard designated should be used. When an unsalted fat is used in place of a salted one, additional salt is needed.
American Home Economics Association. Handbook of Food Preparation , pp. 6-7. Washington, D.C.,
Bureau of Dairy Industry. Vitamin A in Butter. Miscellaneous Publication No. 571, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.,
Lowe, Belle. Experimental Cookery, 3d ed., Chap. XIV. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1943.
[149]
XI • Frozen Desserts
A popular group of American desserts are the frozen mixtures: ice creams, mousses, ices, and sherbets. Of these, by far the most popular is ice cream. This is due to the pleasing flavor and texture of this popular food and the ready availability of commercial ice creams of good quality.
Holmes,1 in an article on the nutritive value of ice cream, estimated that nearly half a billion gallons of ice cream were consumed in the United States during 1943. Ice cream is an important source of riboflavin and car¬ otene in the diets of this country. With wider use of fresh and frozen fruit products in flavoring, ice creams can be made to con¬ tribute important amounts of vitamin C.