Using up spread / alternative to butter in pastry

jojo700

We use a lot of butter in our house and with the prices rising I've been looking for lower cost alternatives. I bought some supermarket own brand value type spread, and we aren't keen on it, although do like the spreadable butter type spreads in sandwiches.  Would the cheapo oily spread work in short crust pastry? I usually use butter and a little bit of lard for shortcrust pastry but it's now costing a lot to make a basic pie due to the cost of the butter, so I thought that using the spread might be a way to get rid of it! Has anyone tried it and had success? I don't want to make a horrible pie for tonight's dinner 

Katiehound

I have always made pastry with half lard and half hard margarine.
Even this is hard to find (remember Echo?)
Stork is still available- at quite a price or you might be able to find own brand. These come as blocks and labelled something like 'baking margarine.'
Looks like their own is now 95 pence per block in Morrisons, Tesco, sainsburys. whilst Stork is £1.50

I would suggest you buy a block & experiment

With the soft marg I think you would be better using it in a cake or biscuit recipe as it will cream easily

JGB1955

I use Stork or supermarket own brands  - currently using Greenvale 'Perfect for Cakes' from Aldi.  Baking margarine works fine too.

jojo700

Thank you, I think in future I will try the hard alternatives. The stuff I already bought is very soft and oily so might not work well in pastry, I'll use it up in a cake instead. 

Katiehound

or the soft marg would work in a crumble topping...

gran3

I tried recently using veg oil, was really nice.

jojo700

gran3 said:

I tried recently using veg oil, was really nice.

Thank you that's interesting to know, I would have imagined it would be too greasy for pastry. I might give this soft spread a go then, it's oil based. 

KxMx

I usually use Lidl own brand Vita D'or "Perfect for cakes" spreadable margarine.
It's absolutely fine for pastry.  I use it for all my baking in fact.

bouicca21

I don’t make pastry very often but for savoury pies/quiches I use lard.

happyhacker

Use cold pressed organic rapeseed oil or similar and avoid the saturated fat problem. Also marg and the like contain additives the body does not need and could be toxic long term.

trailingspouse

I use Lidl's own-brand butter - can't honestly say I notice any issues with it, but it's a long time since I decided Lurpak was a ridiculous price!! I prefer to use real butter - yes it contains saturated fat, but we need a certain amount in the diet, and I think that's better than all the additives in the 'alternative' butters. If too much saturated fat is an issue for you, I would suggest less pastry rather than using something full of additives to make it.