I've seen comments about crisco problem and was wandering if anyone could fill me in on the crisco deal. From what I gather it now has 0 trans fats and that's a bad thing? I also read that it is making the BC separate. Is that true? I have problems with my BC and I think this may be the reason. So what should I do?
Crisco does mostly a good job but it does seperate and makes colors look splotchy. Use high ratio icing shortning. It is smoother tastes better and holds its color well. Also cracks less.
Hope this helps.
Laura
www.laurascakefactory.com
Forgive my ignorance - but shortening containers don't have the words "high ratio" on them, in my experience. So what do you look for to know that it is? Any level of trans fat over 1 g, or does it have to be over a certain number of grams per serving?
Crisco switched to a trans-fat-free formula years ago. It's old news.
Did you just start making buttercream again after a long hiatus? If not, then the problem is probably not with Crisco. What is your buttercream doing that is problematic?
I've been making cakes with crisco for about 2 years. Every so often I end up with icing that seems to be separating. It looks like the crisco is sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl, and the icing itself looks spotty. When I add color it ends up with little white spots of shortening. And it slides off the cake. It also will not crust. Someone told me it might be to much liquid. So I tried to cut back on the water and then the icing looked to grainy. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
High ratio shortening is generally not available at grocery stores. It is a specific type of icing shortening used by bakeries that is sold at restaurant supply houses, cake decorating shops, and online. I personally use BakeMark brand high ratio shortening because it yields excellent results and there is a warehouse local to me, so I don't have to pay exorbitant shipping fees.
With a quick search here for "Sweetex" or "Alpine" you can find a lot of information on high ratio shortening, including where other CC members buy theirs.
klewisdas, it does sound like there is too much liquid being used in the buttercream. I see the separation that you are describing whenever my students bring icing to class that was not measured properly or is damaged by heat. Since you are seeing the separation in the bowl, I don't think it's a heat issue (usually caused in the piping bag when your hand has warmed up the icing). One thing that you can do is to add about 1/4 cup of cornstarch to a 2 cup shortening/2 lb pwd sugar recipe which will help bind up the liquids in the icing.
I can send you my recipe for trans-fat free Crisco buttercream that I've been giving out to my students for the last decade if you will click on the "email" button at the bottom of my post. Hopefully it will yield good results for you.
If you buy store-brand shortening it probably still has trans fat in it, so it will work the same way as the old crisco formula.
Crisco switched to a trans-fat-free formula years ago. It's old news.
Did you just start making buttercream again after a long hiatus? If not, then the problem is probably not with Crisco. What is your buttercream doing that is problematic?
I've been making cakes with crisco for about 2 years. Every so often I end up with icing that seems to be separating. It looks like the crisco is sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl, and the icing itself looks spotty. When I add color it ends up with little white spots of shortening. And it slides off the cake. It also will not crust. Someone told me it might be to much liquid. So I tried to cut back on the water and then the icing looked to grainy. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
I used crisco for years, but a year or so ago switched to Sweetex. Once I ran out of Sweetex, and was in a pinch and had to use crisco. It did the same thing! It was just gross! Greasy, grainy and it stuck to the mixing bowl, but literally fell off the cake! I went out and bought more crisco, made a new batch and it was better. Still kinda greasy and yucky...but not as grainy and didn't fall off the cake. I always figured I had a bad batch of crisco. 
I can send you my recipe for trans-fat free Crisco buttercream that I've been giving out to my students for the last decade if you will click on the "email" button at the bottom of my post. Hopefully it will yield good results for you.
Hi Cakepro...I would love if you could send me this recipe too. I just sent you an email so if you wouldn't mind I would really appreciate it. TIA.
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