Shortening: meaning, definitions and examples

Usually used in cooking and baking to refer to fat used to make pastry doughs tender.

• Add two tablespoons of shortening to the dough.
• Shortening gives the cookies a crisp texture.

Used when referring to a shorter form of a word or phrase.

• 'Mr.' is an abbreviation for 'Mister'.
• The abbreviation 'ASAP' stands for 'As Soon As Possible'.

Primarily used in scientific, especially in physical sciences, to describe the process where a gas changes to a liquid, or to make something denser or more concentrated.

• Condensation forms on the outside of a cold glass.
• A condensation of ideas into a brief summary can be very effective.

Commonly used in scientific and engineering contexts to describe the act of making something smaller or more compact by applying pressure or reducing space.

• The engineer tested the compression strength of the materials.
• File compression reduces the size of the document.

Use in baking recipes where you want a flaky texture in pastries and cookies.

• For a perfect pie crust, mix the flour with shortening
• Shortening helps make cookies softer and more tender

General term for any type of fat used in cooking, often used when discussing nutritional content.

• Be mindful of your fat intake for a balanced diet
• Various fats like butter, oil, and lard are essential in cooking

Used in traditional and rustic cooking, particularly for frying and baking. Often associated with a stronger taste.

• Lard makes an excellent frying medium for traditional recipes
• To make authentic tamales, include lard for the masa

Ideal in baking, cooking, and as a spread. Adds flavor and richness to dishes.

• Spread butter on your toast for breakfast
• Use butter for a rich, creamy cake
• Sauté vegetables in butter for a delicious taste

This term is mostly used in baking to refer to any fat that is solid at room temperature and can be used to make crumbly pastry. It is specifically used to create flaky textures in baked goods.

• You should add some shortening to the pie crust recipe to make it more flaky and tender

This term has dual use; in cooking, it refers to a dessert with a crumbly topping made from ingredients like flour, sugar, and butter. It is also used as a verb to describe breaking something into smaller, rough pieces.

• To make an apple crumble, sprinkle the crumbly mixture over the fruit and bake until golden brown
• The cookie was so dry it would crumble at the slightest touch

This phrase is often used in baking to describe the technique of mixing fat into flour with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. It's a specific step in creating the right texture for certain pastries.

• For a perfect pie crust, rub in the cold butter into the flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs

This word is used in cooking or baking to describe the action of mixing ingredients together until they are evenly distributed. It's a general term for mixing multiple items into one unified mixture.

• Combine the flour, sugar, and butter in the bowl before adding the eggs