kolling@decwrl.UUCP (Karen Kolling) (10/24/85)
> The secret that i've discovered for successfully making pie crusts is > to have ALL of the ingredients well chilled....The shortening can be > dealt with in at least 2 ways: pre-measure it and stick the measured > portion in the fridge to be chilled well before you use it, or put the > whole can of shortening in the fridge. The ... latter has the problem > that the shortening is more difficult to measure when it is cold. I > opt for the latter and just use lots of muscle. Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of shortening.
edward@ukecc.UUCP (Edward C. Bennett) (10/25/85)
In article <1017@decwrl.UUCP>, kolling@decwrl.UUCP (Karen Kolling) writes: > > Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup > of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then > keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon > until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of > shortening. But if know how to fill the 1-cup measure half full of water, why not just fill it half full of shortening in the first place. ;-) -- Edward C. Bennett UUCP: ihnp4!cbosgd!ukma!ukecc!edward /* A charter member of the Scooter bunch */ "Goodnight M.A."
beth@gymble.UUCP (Beth Katz) (10/28/85)
Karen Kolling writes: >> Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup >> of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then >> keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon >> until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of >> shortening. Edward C. Bennett responds: > But if know how to fill the 1-cup measure half full of water, >why not just fill it half full of shortening in the first place. ;-) I realize that Edward was half-joking, but the reason for using a half cup of water is to compensate for the air pockets that tend to be a problem if you don't use the water. With the water, you just plop in the shortening and don't have to squash it into the edges of the cup. Beth Katz Univ. of Maryland - CS Dept.
levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy) (10/29/85)
In article <414@gymble.UUCP>, beth@gymble.UUCP (Beth Katz) writes: >Karen Kolling writes: >>> Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup >>> of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then >>> keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon >>> until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of >>> shortening. >Edward C. Bennett responds: >> But if know how to fill the 1-cup measure half full of water, >>why not just fill it half full of shortening in the first place. ;-) >I realize that Edward was half-joking, but the reason for using a half >cup of water is to compensate for the air pockets that tend to be a >problem if you don't use the water. With the water, you just plop in >the shortening and don't have to squash it into the edges of the cup. > Beth Katz Ok, problem with the water method is: first, there still can be trapped air INSIDE the hunk of shortening you are pushing under; second, you end up with a wet hunk of shortening which is not as easy to cut into dry flour as dry shortening would be (and if you are making something like a large batch of biscuit mix which is to sit, it would defuse the baking powder). I think it is as good as anything else to pack it into a metal scoop-type measure of the exact capacity desired (or of course a submultiple thereof) with something small and flat like a table knife. Trying to pack it into a measure only partway is difficult, as the shortening is not self-leveling in the measure introducing inaccuracy even if there are no air pockets. -- ------------------------------- Disclaimer: The views contained herein are | dan levy | yvel nad | my own and are not at all those of my em- | an engihacker @ | ployer or the administrator of any computer | at&t computer systems division | upon which I may hack. | skokie, illinois | -------------------------------- Path: ..!ihnp4!ttrdc!levy
mls@ittvax.ATC.ITT.UUCP (Michael Schneider) (10/30/85)
So you don't want air or water. Well try this. If I know I will be using shortening, I first melt it, measure out the correct amount, then cool it. When I think I might be using small amounts, I melt it and place it in a mold (in my case a tube with a cork in one end). When it is hard, I cut off distances, since I determined the volume a long time ago. mike schneider *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
knutsonk@stolaf.UUCP (Kari E. Knutson) (10/31/85)
> Karen Kolling writes: > >> Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup > >> of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then > >> keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon > >> until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of With all due respect to the original poster: DON'T TRY THIS METHOD IF YOU ARE MAKING ANY KIND OF PASTRY. The water makes the flour all sticky and the pastry just does not turn out. For other uses of shortening, though, this method is great! Kari Knutson ...ihnp4!stolaf!knutsonk
suze@terak.UUCP (Suzanne Barnett) (10/31/85)
> In article <1017@decwrl.UUCP>, kolling@decwrl.UUCP (Karen Kolling) writes: > > > > Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup > > of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then > > keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon > > until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of > > shortening. > > But if know how to fill the 1-cup measure half full of water, > why not just fill it half full of shortening in the first place. ;-) Because the t way mentioned is MUCH, MUCH easier, and you don't sacrifice a lot of shortening to the sides of the measuring cup. -- Suzanne Barnett-Scott uucp: ...{decvax,ihnp4,noao,savax,seismo}!terak!suze phone: (602) 998-4800 us mail: CalComp/Sanders Display Products Division (Formerly Terak Corporation) 14151 N 76th street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
jsl@osiris.UUCP (Jeffrey S. Levine) (10/31/85)
> In article <1017@decwrl.UUCP>, kolling@decwrl.UUCP (Karen Kolling) writes: > > > > Basic Physics I learned at my Aunt Ethel's knee: you want a half cup > > of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then > > keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon > > until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of > > shortening. > > But if know how to fill the 1-cup measure half full of water, > why not just fill it half full of shortening in the first place. ;-) > > -- > Edward C. Bennett > > UUCP: ihnp4!cbosgd!ukma!ukecc!edward > > /* A charter member of the Scooter bunch */ > > "Goodnight M.A." I believe the reason for this is to make it easy for you to get the shortening out of the measuring cup. *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
suze@terak.UUCP (Suzanne Barnett) (11/14/85)
> > >> of shortening? You fill a one-cup measuring cup half full of water and then > > >> keep plopping in shortening and holding it under with just the tip of a spoon > > >> until the water level reaches one cup. Drain. Presto, one half cup of > > DON'T TRY THIS METHOD IF YOU ARE MAKING ANY KIND OF PASTRY. > The water makes the flour all sticky and the pastry just > does not turn out. > For other uses of shortening, though, this method is great! > I always measure my shortening this way, and about the only time I measure shortening is when I'm making pie crust. I have no problem getting the crusts to turn out right. It probably depends on the type of pastry you're making, and its recipe. -- ************************************************************** Suzanne Barnett-Scott uucp: ...{decvax,ihnp4,noao,savax,seismo}!terak!suze phone: (602) 998-4800 us mail: CalComp/Sanders Display Products Division (Formerly Terak Corporation) 14151 N 76th street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
gbr@mb2c.UUCP (Jerry Ruhno) (11/18/85)
There is a device out on the market for measuring shortening and other ingredients that are similar, like peanut butter. I don't know the name but it is a round cylinder that has markings on the side for measuring. The other piece is a solid cylinder that is pushed thru the other cylinder. You just insert the solid cylinder inside the other, and adust so that the top is at the correct measuring mark. Then spoon in your shortening to fill up the cylinder. When it is full you push the solid cylinder the rest of the way thru and out comes your shortening. I am sure you can find it at a kitchen shop. Jerry Ruhno epsilon!mb2c!gbr
barrys@hercules.UUCP (Barry Steel) (11/19/85)
In article <342@mb2c.UUCP> gbr@mb2c.UUCP (Jerry Ruhno) writes: > > There is a device out on the market for measuring shortening and other > ingredients that are similar, like peanut butter. I don't know the name > but it is a round cylinder that has markings on the side for measuring. It is called a "Wonder Cup", comes in two sizes (1 and 2 cup) and is yellow. It does indeed work great. It is also handy for stange things like measuring out half of a 1/3 cup when halving a recipe. barry steel
jlmalito@drufl.UUCP (Jeanine L. Malito) (11/19/85)
A trick i learned long ago: use a measuring cup that is larger than you need; add enough water to leave room for the desired amount of shortening; spoon in the shortening until water gets to top (note, shortening must all be under-water); pour out water; dump out shortening blob (that did not stick to the sides because of water). an example: you need 1/3 cup of shortening. put 2/3 cup of water into a 1 cup measuring cup. spoon in shortening until water reaches 1 cup mark. pour. dump. no special gadgets required, and the cup is easy to clean, as very little shortening need stick. jeanine ihnp4!drufl!jlmalito