Can you make shortbread with margarine?!


Question: All the recipes I've seen use butter, sugar and flour, but I don't have any butter and I can't be bothered to go to the shops. The closest I've got is St Ival Gold Extra Light. Would the margarine work the same?


Answers: All the recipes I've seen use butter, sugar and flour, but I don't have any butter and I can't be bothered to go to the shops. The closest I've got is St Ival Gold Extra Light. Would the margarine work the same?

Using Margarine is fine, a better brand rather than the cheapest. The taste isn't as nice but it's fine for everyday eating. The St. Ivel extra light probably won't work well at all, if you look on the carton it says it isn't suitable for baking, that's because it has a high water content, your shortbread will be rock hard and tasteless

I wouldnt actually know.

Try a recipe book or type it in search. :)

It would certainly not be the same rich taste! It will still be a cookie, but not a shortbread cookie.

yea that should be fine

No dont even try it just won't taste the same..trust me Ive tried it it wa tasteless and disgusting...not worth the effort!

You can, but butter=fat and fat makes recipes that call for it very tasty. I dont see anything wrong w/substituting between the two. The margarine it just a healthy option.

It is butter that makes it taste good, so no, I would never use margarine for it.

yes, i use marg instead of butter all the time when i bake.

You can but it won't taste the same. The butter gives the shortbread its special flavour.

Happy cooking.

The same? No. Would it work? That depends on how good you want the shortbread to taste. It is probably worth the effort to go to the store if you really, really want good shortbread.

yes it should work just fine but u might want to get regular margarine for this i dont like the lite stuff but if that is all u got go ahead,,,

Short Bread made with margarine
3/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Mix in flour. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll out to 1/2" thick & cut with round cookie cutter about 2 1/2" in diameter. I also use a decorative cookie stamp on them. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 350° F

Don't bother, it'll be like doing a roast without the meat.

It's one of those occasions that you can't substitute ingredients. It's butter what gives shortbread that special flavour.

On the other hand, there's nothing to stop you from making it with margarine, but it'll taste like a biscuit, and not a great one at that.

Yea...I would think so.

i use marg in baking...but short bread is better with real butter. Also low fat versions of marg aren't as good to bake with either. You will still get a reasonable shortbread but it isn't as rich or tasty as with butter. It isn't any better for you either as marg has hydrogenated fats in which are worse for you than the fats in butter. the best bet is to experiment. Everyone likes their food a little different anyway so you might prefer the marg shortbread taste.

You can get a little understanding here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortening

It may help to chill the mix for a while before baking.

Nothing - not even "I can't believe its not butter" (which is margarine flavoured with artificial 'butter essence') tastes like real butter in baking!

Shortbread
Makes 10-12 shortbread



Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins







Ingredients
125g/4oz butter or margarine
55g/2oz caster sugar
180g/6oz plain flour




Method
1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Beat the butter and the sugar together until pale.
3. Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm/?in thick.
4. Cut into rounds or fingers and sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar. Put on a baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until pale golden. Cool on a wire rack.





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