Baking Question

[CamColt]

I was looking for a recipe for cranberry nut bread. the one I found calls for "2 Tablespoons shortening". Is that basically the same thing as butter or does it have to be shortening?

Also, it says 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel. Do you think if I skipped that it would have a big impact on the bread. The thought of orange peel in it just sort of grosses me out.

 

[anniet]

Must be that time of year.

I just e-mailed my sister my Pumpkin cranberry bread recipe!

I'd probably use vegetable oil before I used butter--butter has a flavor to it. Shortening and vegetable oil don't.

I think you are probably safe to skip the peel.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

You can use butter or margarine.. I always use butter.. I know bad for those arteries, but when I bake I want it good..

 

[CamColt]

LOL! By the time Thursday is over, I dont think anything I would have eaten that day is good for the arteries...or anything else.

Im usually a pretty good cook, but I just dont have much experience with "shortening". I didnt even realize it had no flavor.

Thanks for the info!

 

[aprincessmom]

Butter and shortening are two different things. You can substitute but the baked good will have a very different flavor and texture.

The orange peel will also give your bread flavor...the orange cuts the sourness of the cranberries. If you are using the orange peel, do not cut far enough into the orange peel to get the pith. The pith is very bitter. The peel or rind is flavorful and will give a concentrated punch of flavor.

 

[Kermit]

I frequently use butter instead of shortening. It's full of fat, but at least it comes from cows instead of a factory. I also leave out lemon and orange peel a lot of times. I only include it if I have organic produce, since all the pesticides are on the peel. If you have some OJ on hand (or lemon juice), add about a tablespoon or so and cut out some of the milk or whatever liquid it calls for.

 

[CamColt]

Thanks everyone!
Maybe Ill try to find some shortening. Is that the Crisco stuff in the blue can? I must sound so stupid, but I cant even believe I have never had to use shortening before.

The recipe does call for orange juice along with the orange peel so I may just skip the peel.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Don't skip the orange peel. It is really what makes the cranberry bread! Thanks for the idea! I haven't made cranberry bread for a long time!

 

[paras4ri]

I second the motion to keep the orange peel....it truly does give cranberry bread it's distinctive flavor.

 

[CamColt]

Ok,now you guys have me thinking. This is my big dilemma of the day, orange peel or not?
Can you tell its in there when you eat it? Im just picturing chewing on that stuff and it seems gross. Any tips for grinding it up real small?

 

[Gail T AGAIN]

Camcolt, go to a good bakery and but it, that's what i do. Not the same but it works for me. I told my family I was going to make a pumkin cheescake, well guess what, I can't find a good bakery that makes them. LOL so I am just gonna make a fast different type of cheescake, I usuaed to love baking but my life is going ina different direction so I don't enjoy it like I used to. Good luck with your cranberry bread, care to sell me a loaf? LOL

 

[dianeschlicht]

Wash the orange REALLY well and grate it. The pieces are miniscule so you don't chew on big chunks. The orange peel has orange oil that is many times more orange flavor than just the orange itself.

 

[aprincessmom]

Wash the orange REALLY well and grate it

Exactly! Press the orange lightly against the grater and scrape then rotate, scrape and rotate. This way you don't go too far into the peel and get the yellow pith.

 

[faith]

Hi CamColt! Definitely add the orange peel. It gives the bread great flavor as the others have mentioned. You might not want to purchase a whole can of Crisco if you don't use shortening for other things. Use the butter but melt it slightly in the microwave. Maybe 10 seconds.

 

[Cindy B]

Or if you have a mini chopper or food processor do it that way.. the orange peel is necessary.