what is shortening for baking

Shortening is a type of fat that is solid at room temperature and used in baking to improve the texture, volume, and stability of baked goods. It is used to make doughs "short," which means it prevents gluten formation, giving the dough a flaky, crumbly texture. Shortening is commonly used to make flaky pie crusts, shortbread, biscuits, and other baked goods. The most well-known types of shortening are lard, margarine, and vegetable shortening such as Crisco. Butter is not the best shortening because it contains up to 20% water. Shortening can be made 100% from vegetable fats and oils. It is important to note that most shortening is not nutritionally healthy, as it is often chemically processed and artificially engineered.