Problems with Crisco.

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cheryla

Assistant Cook
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
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5
Is anyone else having problems with the new crisco. My recipe is for clothespin cookies, in which you make a puffed pastry. Everyone I know is having the same problems. The dough actually dissintegrates in the oven. Any solutions?
 
Sure beats hydrogenated vegetable oil. Only problem is that it's relatively hard to come by (in its pure form), in most if not all of the USA, and can be pretty expensive.

You might have to settle for Armour lard / manteca.
 
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new crisco is a mixture of an oil and a fully hydrogenated oil (which is like candle wax). Making a puff style pastry which requires working and resting the dough breaks down the emulsion of the two. Lard or butter are your choices for such a dough.
 
thank you robert. I will try the lard and it should work. I should have tried it sooner. I have ruined two batches of dough, and I have made this recipe for years.
 
Sure beats hydrogenated vegetable oil. Only problem is that it's relatively hard to come by (in its pure form), in most if not all of the USA, and can be pretty expensive.

You might have to settle for Armour lard / manteca.

Really? You can't get plain old lard there?

If you really HAVE to use the crisco, try refrigerating your dough or whatever you are making right before baking. The colder you can keep it the more likely you will be to have it do the right stuff when it finally gets it to the oven. And forgive me but, YUCK. That just sounds gross.
 
If you can get solid palm oil (it's normally solid at room temperature), that works well. I used to buy it at the health food store, but the don't carry it any more. You just have to measure volume, not weight. 1 lb. of palm oil is a lot more than 2 cups.
 
ugh, the new crisco is awful. As unhealthy as the old Crisco was (and the new one isn't really much better) it was a perfect for many things. I used to be able to make the fluffiest decorating icing, but the new stuff just makes your mouth feel waxy.

I just bought some Spectrum Organics shortening, which I believe is palm oil. I made pie crust with it last week and it worked quite well, I look forward to trying it in other things.
 
ugh, the new crisco is awful. As unhealthy as the old Crisco was (and the new one isn't really much better) it was a perfect for many things. I used to be able to make the fluffiest decorating icing, but the new stuff just makes your mouth feel waxy.

I just bought some Spectrum Organics shortening, which I believe is palm oil. I made pie crust with it last week and it worked quite well, I look forward to trying it in other things.

Thanks for the lead on Spectrum Organics shortening...I'll check it out. :)
 
You're welcome :)

It's a bit pricey, but it is worth it to stay away from hydrogenated oils. It is great when butter isn't a good substitute.

I quit buying shortening a while ago, just been using lard when I needed similar. The amounts I use, the price won't be too bad.:)
 
the crisco company just called me. They told me to change the recipe to one half butter and one half shortening, alternating with each roll out. You have to roll out the dough in powered sugar. She said that this comes out the same as the old recipe.
 
If anyone is looking for leaf lard (as opposed to the hydrogenated stuff sold in grocery stores), it can be found at your local Amish grocery (if you have one). I used to render my own leaf lard, but the Amish grocery has it very inexpensively, so it's no longer worth the effort. I haven't used Crisco for over a decade, probably, but do remember issues with it even way back when and that's when I made the switch.
 
Really? You can't get plain old lard there?

If you really HAVE to use the crisco, try refrigerating your dough or whatever you are making right before baking. The colder you can keep it the more likely you will be to have it do the right stuff when it finally gets it to the oven. And forgive me but, YUCK. That just sounds gross.
As intimated by Velochic's response (#16) leaf lard is not commonplace.
 
justplainbill, my confusion stems from some folks saying they switched to lard, and others saying it is not readily available. One other comment was about hydrogenated lard being commonplace in grocery stores.

The lard I get here (in my grocery store) is the same stuff I've used and my Mom and gramma used. I can also buy pure beef lard at the grocery store that is non hydrogenated. I know Maple Leaf ships to the US, so the stuff I use is available online.

Here's what I use:
 

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Thanks for the tip, Alix. Interesting to see that a lot of pork lard is going for at least $5.00 per pound. Down south (here in NY) leaf lard does not keep very well unless it's refrigerated
 
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