October 16, 2019 - 5:36pm
question on fat sources in ww breads
i have here in my home 3 fat sources: margarine, canola oil, and vegetable oil. how might these 3 differ in how they affect the bread ? and, a bonus, what is your favourite fat source for your ww breads, including those i have not listed ?
fwiw i've already used margarine as a fat source and enjoyed the result, though i replaced only 5% of the 67%-ish hydration with margarine.
Share
There is a huge discussion of how fat affects dough. Between canola oil and vegetable oil there probably isn't a noticeable difference other than maybe flavor?
All I know is that liquid fats such as oil count as part of the dough's hydration and should be incorporated in the beginning of mixing. Solid fats like butter are to be incorporated in the end of mixing if the percentage is larger than 7-8% or so.
I can imagine milk fats (cream, butter, milk) also affect the proofing times and browning process due to the extra sugars (lactose). In the end the role of fat is tenderizing and enriching a dough, making it overall more pleasant to eat.
For all savory doughs I use olive oil because it just gives a nice, earthy flavor. In sweeter doughs I use plant-based fats like baking margarine or almond milk (trying to be as vegan as possible).
i see ! thank you for the detailed comment
it's often the natural fat in buttermilk. if i'm not using buttermilk, i like the taste of a light olive oil or i use canola oil if i'm looking for a neutral taste. it's not so much a question of my favorite fat source so much as which fat source goes with the type of bread i'm making.
i sometimes melt a little butter or light butter, then fill the same cup the rest of the way with buttermilk to the measured amount.
ooh, buttermilk in bread sounds nice !
buttermilk can be very yummy, adding some richness. it's the perfect liquid if you want to make a soda bread instead of a yeast bread or sourdough because the lactic acid works well with baking powder and baking soda.
Shortening is the traditional lipid that has been used in bread formulas for over 100 years. Lard was the original shortening, which was later replaced (mostly) with hydrogenated vegetable shortening. Beware of using vegetable shortening and margarine with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, as it contains trans fats.
Organic shortenings are now widely available that contain no hydrogenated oils, and are high in monounsaturated fat (considered the healthiest fatty acid). I have used organic shortening marketed by Spectrum Organics and Nutiva with good results. I also use liquid grapeseed oil on occasion.
http://www.spectrumorganics.com/product/organic-all-vegetable-shortening/
https://store.nutiva.com/products/organic-shortening?variant=8734812209212