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My aunt told me I was wasting butter on pie crust
She watched me cube cold butter into flour at her house in Phoenix last Thanksgiving and said I should just use shortening like she has for 40 years. I told her butter gives better flavor and flakiness, and she got quiet. She tried a slice later and admitted it was good, but she still wouldn't change her recipe. Anyone else have a family member who swears by shortening over butter?
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hugo8252mo ago
Your aunt has a point for pie crust specifically - shortening gives a tender, flaky texture that butter can't quite match because it doesn't have water content. Butter for flavor on the bottom crust with shortening on top can give you the best of both worlds though.
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uma6852mo ago
Oh yeah, totally. I started doing half and half recently too and it's a game changer.
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alice_kim1mo ago
Wait have you actually tried doing half and half like that? I'm genuinely curious because I've always been a full butter person and my crusts come out great but my grandma swears by Crisco and she's been baking since the 60s. I wonder if the whole butter vs shortening thing is just about what you grew up with or if there's actually a science difference that matters. Like does your top crust really get that much flakier with shortening or is it more of a texture thing people can't really tell apart in a blind taste test?
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