Is shortening butter? Are shortening and butter the same?

I believe many people are not very clear about what shortening is. Shortening is mainly a kind of oily substance that is processed through some oil substances and then can be kneaded into various block shapes. Its appearance is somewhat similar to the butter we use in daily life. At first, many people would mistake shortening for butter in daily life. So is shortening butter? Are shortening and butter the same thing?

1. What is butter

Butter is processed from milk and is generally used as a seasoning. Butter is very nutritious and suitable for us to eat. Butter has a high fat content, so don't consume it excessively. Ghee is commonly used by Tibetan people. Ghee is fat extracted from cow's milk and goat's milk.

Butter is the most nutritious among dairy products. Butter made from milk is rich in nutrients, containing vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, glycosylated phospholipids, and cholesterol. Butter is also very fragrant when used in cooking. It can be used to fry fish, pan-fry steak, toast bread, and spread on bread. It is not only nutritious, but also very mellow, delicious, soft and sweet. Butter has a very high utilization value. It is rich in nutrients and is a great choice for making many desserts. It is one of the additives we often use.

2. What is Ghee?

Ghee is also 100% full fat, but because it does not separate and melt due to the friction generated by stirring like butter and margarine, it is very suitable for stirring and whipping. Many bakers use shortening to ensure the thinnest pie crust possible. Solid vegetable shortening is great for incorporating air into batters, giving cookies and cakes more volume and a fluffier texture.

Unfortunately, ghee doesn't provide much flavor to baked goods (although its lack of flavor enhancement makes it useful for greasing and brushing pans). Although there are various butter-flavored ghee on the market, the actual effect is far from satisfactory. If you don't care about the aroma of fat, ghee is a good choice. For example, you can use shortening when making chocolate cakes, or you can use it on chocolate cookies with great results. However, it cannot be used in sugar cookies because butter is an important flavor ingredient in the sugar cookie recipe.

Solid vegetable shortening usually comes in cans and can be kept forever if not opened. Once opened, it will keep for several years in an airtight container.