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Christmas

What fat do you use for your Christmas pastry?

(32 Posts)
elastic Wed 18-Dec-19 13:30:06

I have always used a mix of Trex and butter, but I've just read a review that Trex contains 57% palm oil! Can't use that anymore Greta wouldn't like it for environmental reasons.

This morning I have made sausage rolls with half lard and half butter. I think that's ok for savoury.

The mince pies I have been making for instant eating, I have used all Olive Oil marg. They come out really nice which is surprising considering it's lower fat. confused

Just not sure what to use for the freezer mince pies for actual Christmas.

Anyone?

SueDonim Wed 18-Dec-19 20:34:04

Interesting about making pastry with oil. I hadn’t heard of that before. Do you just pour it into the flour and stir it up? Also, what proportions? Do you think rape oil would work?

Hetty58 Wed 18-Dec-19 21:24:41

I make pastry with oil for the vegans. Yes, just stir it in.

BradfordLass72 Wed 18-Dec-19 23:07:27

I've just had a shock. I use what I thought was a vegetable shortening for some things (butter only for mince pies) and out of curiosity, looked up the ingredients.

I found a wholesale site which sells to bakeries and restaurants and the bulk Sponge and other cake mixes all contain tallow.

I wonder if vegetarians know their bought cakes are made with beef fat?

Witzend Wed 18-Dec-19 23:14:59

I usually use hard Stork. Now worried in case it contains palm oil - does anyone know?
Last batch of mince pies was made with about 75% unsalted butter and 25% Stork, because that's all I had of the latter. I asked dh whether he could tell the difference in the pastry, and he said he thought my usual was marginally nicer!

Callistemon Wed 18-Dec-19 23:31:42

Contains varying amounts of Rapeseed, Palm and Sunflower oils
"Stork is committed to sustainable palm oil"

Mapleleaf Thu 19-Dec-19 08:07:23

After a fair bit of experimentation, with varying results from soft and crumbly to so hard you could use it as roof tiles, I've discovered that half lard and half butter, along with half plain and half self raising flour gives the best results for me. ?