Why do you avoid coconut, Jack? Is it for environmental reasons? I have concerns about it too, but for the time being, it is the best vegan "solid" fat I've found.
Healthwise, it is extremely high in saturated fat - close to 90% (twice as much as butter) - that’s the case with tropical fats. Saturated fats are not good for me to ingest (I’ll leave a link for more specifics if you are interested)…
Environmentally, I think the mass increase in worldwide production of coconut products is extremely harmful to biodiversity (same can be said about palm fat)…
A loss of biodiversity is extremely harmful to many, many creatures and one reason most of what we lose to extinction comes from the tropics…
ah, I see. I tend to use solid fats relatively rarely in my bakes (I think I may prefer oil-based enriched breads to solid-fat based ones, TBH); in the case of this spread, specifically, you aren't really consuming it, so it doesn't matter.
As for the environmental issues, those do trouble me. I like to think of all of my "solutions" to avoiding animal products as provisional—these are the things I use or recommend for now because they are easily accessible, but that doesn't mean the search is over. Everything is a compromise in this world, alas.
One of the major benefits of the use of solid fats in enriched baking is the firmness of the dough when cold, which makes shaping a lot easier. Olive oil has a low melting point, but it does solidify some at fridge temps, which is why it is my preferred vegetable oil replacement for butter in many recipes.
Any idea how long this would last? I'm guessing you go through it much faster than I would. I'm assuming it could also be kept in the fridge for a longer life, but then you'd have to melt it every time you use it.
I think it's pretty stable. I go through one jar every three months or so, but haven't noticed any degradation over that time. And yeah, it would last longer in the fridge, but it's probably not necessary. You could always halve the amounts here.
This is cool, will try! I assume you find this works better than the flour+oil "pan goo" I've read about?
I used to add flour to mine, but I found it annoying and unnecessary!
Good to know!
Excellent - I felt I learned quite a bit while reading this piece...
Do you have any recommendations for those who choose to avoid coconut oil?
hmm. I guess that I’d just use all veg oil. It wouldn’t have the viscosity I think helps with cling, but it would probably work nearly as well.
Okay…thanks for replying. I shall try to find some lecithin and see if I can conduct some exercises using oils that meet my requirements…
Why do you avoid coconut, Jack? Is it for environmental reasons? I have concerns about it too, but for the time being, it is the best vegan "solid" fat I've found.
Healthwise, it is extremely high in saturated fat - close to 90% (twice as much as butter) - that’s the case with tropical fats. Saturated fats are not good for me to ingest (I’ll leave a link for more specifics if you are interested)…
Environmentally, I think the mass increase in worldwide production of coconut products is extremely harmful to biodiversity (same can be said about palm fat)…
A loss of biodiversity is extremely harmful to many, many creatures and one reason most of what we lose to extinction comes from the tropics…
The link that goes into more detail about my dietary/lifestyle choices: https://veganweekly.substack.com/p/my-vegan-story
ah, I see. I tend to use solid fats relatively rarely in my bakes (I think I may prefer oil-based enriched breads to solid-fat based ones, TBH); in the case of this spread, specifically, you aren't really consuming it, so it doesn't matter.
As for the environmental issues, those do trouble me. I like to think of all of my "solutions" to avoiding animal products as provisional—these are the things I use or recommend for now because they are easily accessible, but that doesn't mean the search is over. Everything is a compromise in this world, alas.
One of the major benefits of the use of solid fats in enriched baking is the firmness of the dough when cold, which makes shaping a lot easier. Olive oil has a low melting point, but it does solidify some at fridge temps, which is why it is my preferred vegetable oil replacement for butter in many recipes.
Yes, that’s a good perspective, and one that works for most people…
This is SO cool I'm ordering some lecithin immediately.
yesssss! Let me know how it works, Lukas!
Any idea how long this would last? I'm guessing you go through it much faster than I would. I'm assuming it could also be kept in the fridge for a longer life, but then you'd have to melt it every time you use it.
I think it's pretty stable. I go through one jar every three months or so, but haven't noticed any degradation over that time. And yeah, it would last longer in the fridge, but it's probably not necessary. You could always halve the amounts here.
Thanks, Andrew. Lecithin is now on my shopping list!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family