Cake Margarine?

pixie1

Hi,

Im trying to make cornish pastys using a recipe book from 2005 and it states that i need cake margarine and white shortening. I think a shortening product is crisco (??) but Im not sure what cake margarine is? Can i just use butter?

Any help would be much appreciated as we are missing a taste of the cornish coast :j

Thanks

Pix

Callie22

I'm not sure what 'cake margarine' is specifically but if it's for a pastry recipe then they mean block margarine (the harder stuff) and not the soft spreadable stuff that comes in a tub. Personally I'd use butter anyway (and lard instead of the shortening), but it's up to you.

[Deleted User]

Block of Stork Margarine and some lard for making pastry and soft Stork for making sponge cakes butter I keep for shortbread only

Need2bthrifty

JackieO wrote: »

Block of Stork Margarine and some lard for making pastry and soft Stork for making sponge cakes butter I keep for shortbread only

Snap!!, that's what my mum did so I do it too.

Linda32

Mine does as well. Apart from I can only remember her making shortbread once and I doubt she used butter. But I do when I make it.

HOWMUCH

Yeah stork and lard fifty fifty

babyshoes

For pastry you need a firmer textured fat to obtain the 'breadcrumb' texture, so don't use anything 'spreadable'. If whatever you choose is firm when cold it should work well enough.

I notice your location is 'Oz' - if the weather is warm or hot you may want to chill ALL your ingredients before starting, because you really don't want the fats to melt as this will make the pastry tough. Also avoid handling the pastry too much or re-rolling it more than once if you can. Try putting the flour and chopped up butter/marg/lard etc in the freezer for a few hours, and make sure you have very cold water to use in the recipe. If you are using the rubbing in method rather than a food processor, try to cool your hands down too by soaking them in cold water for a while first.

I would personally use 50/50 cold butter and lard, because I prefer the flavour of butter and dislike the artificial stuff they put in margarine, but it's up to you. You can use 100% butter or marg if you don't have lard (animal fat) or shortening (veg version of lard - crisco is definitely shortening) - the texture will be less 'short' but it will still be pastry!

[Deleted User]

I always put my pastry wrapped in cling film in the fridge for half an hour before I roll it out(usually have a cuppa ) or failing that put the rolling pin in the fridge as the cooler the pastry before cooking I find the better it turns out

dandy-candy

I read the other day that for pastry you can freeze the butter then grate it into the flour. I haven't tried it personally, but it sounds like a clever tip!