Both lard and butter are fat that can be used in many baked goods. However, the chemical compositions of these two fats are slight different. Lard consist almost entirely of fat and contains very little water.
Butter contains a significant amount of fat, as well as water and milk solid. The water content in butter will turn into steam during the baking process. This steam can play a significant role in how the baked good will turn out, specific in regard to the layering of the dough and the crispness of the pastry.
How to Use Butter Instead of Lard
For these reason, it is important to adjust the amount of butter that a cook uses in a recipe if butter is to be substituted for lard. The amount of butter that are used in a recipe should be slightly higher than that of the amount of lard that the recipe require. The reason for this is that the cook must compensate for the water in the butter by using more butter so that the level of fat in the dough is similar to that of lard.
Because lard does not contain water, it does not allow time for the gluten proteins in the flour to develop. Using butter will allow the proteins in the flour to be coat by the butter but also to absorb the moisture from the butter, which will allow the gluten to develop. Using more butter will allow bakers to compensate for this and to achieve the same results as using lard.
This is especially important in recipe that require the development of layers in the crust, such as pie crust and biscuits. Another factor to consider when using butter to replace lard is the flavor that each fat contribute to the final product. Because lard has a neutral flavor, it does not play a role in the flavor of the baked good.
Butter have a distinct flavor that can play a significant role in the flavor of the recipe. In recipes in which flavor is essential to the final product, such as pastries with fruit layer, using butter may present a problem in that the flavor of the butter may overpower the flavor of the other ingredient. In other recipes in which a strong flavor is required, however, the flavor of the butter may be an essential component of the recipe.
It is important to note that the conversion chart for lard to butter should not be used in deep fry applications. The reason for this is that the milk solids in butter will burn quick when deep frying. Lard can withstand high heat better than butter.
This conversion chart is for baking and cooking on the stove. If a cook deep fries butter in place of lard, the butter will burn. Finally, another difference between lard and butter is in there storage requirements.
Lard can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer and will stay fresh for a long time. Butter, on the other hand, will absorb the smell of other food while in the refrigerator. Additionally, unsalted butter must be stored in the refrigerator to remain fresh.
Because of these different requirement for storage, one fat may be stored more often than the other. Another factor to consider when using butter instead of lard is temperature. Cold butter will incorporate steam pocket into the dough when melted.
These steam pockets will contribute to the flakiness of the pastry. However, butter will soften faster than lard if the dough is touched with warm hand. In this case, the recipe must be prepare quickly when using butter instead of lard.
Additionally, the dough will need to be refrigerated between step in the recipe so that the butter does not soften too quickly. Another consideration when using butter instead of lard is the salt content of the two ingredient. Lard does not contain salt, but butter typically does.
If a recipe call for an unsalted ingredient to be used but salted butter is substituted for lard, the product will contain too much salt. To compensate for this, the cook will need to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe when using butter instead of lard. By understanding all of these factor, it is possible to use butter as a substitute for lard with more confidence.