What Colour Should High Ratio Shortening Be?

Decorating By KathleenC Updated 9 May 2013 , 9:59pm by PTDixieGal

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KathleenC Posted 7 May 2013 , 5:14pm
post #1 of 25

I want to try making a crusting buttercream using high ratio shortening (I usually use SMBC but want a tasty alternative).

 

I recently purchased a small amount of high ratio shortening from our local cake decorating store.  They package their edible products themselves (into smaller containers from bulk purchases), so I bought a 250 g container.

 

It's yellowy...not white, like regular shortening.  Is that the colour it's supposed to be?  I've never seen it before, so have nothing to compare it too; however, I've looked online and in any photos I can find, the high ratio appears whiter than what I have in front of me.

 

Is that normal?

 

Thanks!

24 replies
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MeghanKelly Posted 7 May 2013 , 5:32pm
post #2 of 25

Mine is more of an off-white, like eggshell color.  Not all yellow, but not as white as Crisco.

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KathleenC Posted 7 May 2013 , 5:54pm
post #3 of 25

Hm.  This is more the colour of almond paste.  Dark beige / light tan?  Hard to describe.  icon_smile.gif

 

This is a picture of it.  The actual colour in real life (photo isn't 100% true) is darker.

 

 

I probably shouldn't be worried.  It smells good, and I'm sure it'll work fine...but I was curious more than anything.

 

Thanks!

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Spooky_789 Posted 7 May 2013 , 5:59pm
post #4 of 25

Mine is white.  But I buy the 50# boxes.

 

That looks like it's been melted and resolidified. 

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KathleenC Posted 7 May 2013 , 6:05pm
post #5 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spooky_789 

That looks like it's been melted and resolidified. 

 

Would the quality change, then?

 

Eek. Maybe I should call the shop I bought it at.  But I kind of hate to question them...they're supposed to be the experts (shop is owned and ran by a qualified pastry chef)....

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enga Posted 7 May 2013 , 7:10pm
post #6 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathleenC 

 

Would the quality change, then?

 

Eek. Maybe I should call the shop I bought it at.  But I kind of hate to question them...they're supposed to be the experts (shop is owned and ran by a qualified pastry chef)....

 



I  purchase mine in a 50# box also, it looks like it has been melted, I'd ask them.  You paid for it so I would treat it like any thing else you purchased that you have questions about, it's only fair.

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Annabakescakes Posted 7 May 2013 , 7:39pm
post #7 of 25

Yeah, it looks gross. I buy mine in a 50lb box, and it is as white as freshly fallen snow ;-) It also looks more solid and less oily, like the picture. When I first bought mine this way, I had a lot fewer orders, and would waste the bottom 1/8 of the box because it got funny looking and clearish, and sticky, after it sat for too long. (a lot like what your picture shows.) I wonder if you could buy some from an actual bakery, where it is likely fresher?

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enga Posted 7 May 2013 , 7:49pm
post #8 of 25

http://cakecentral.com/t/1264/high-ratio-shortening, hth. There is a pic on this thread with the color and like every said, it should be white or creamy off-white. It is a wonderful product, I hope you can get it in Canada.

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KathleenC Posted 7 May 2013 , 8:29pm
post #9 of 25

Thanks for the link to that thread, Enga!  That was really helpful.

 

So, I phoned the shop and asked about the colour and texture.  She said that's how they purchase it.  The brand is Golden Gate (I can find Golden Gate online, but no reference to that particular brand in a high ratio shortening).

 

Apparently once it's whipped up, it whitens.  They use it for making icing for their cakes all the time (they also make and sell cakes), and their icing is white.

 

So...I'm going to try making an American-style buttercream with half shortening, half butter, and see what happens!  If it doesn't work, I have found an online supplier in Canada where I can get CK brand in a 3 lb. bucket.  I just didn't want that large a quantity for something I hadn't tried before.  I much prefer low-cost trial and error.  icon_biggrin.gif  The 250 g was only $2.00.

 

Thanks for your replies!  I appreciate it.  icon_smile.gif

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kazita Posted 7 May 2013 , 9:47pm
post #10 of 25

AA gal that I was talking to on here bought her high ratio shortening at bulk barn in canada .it comes in small amounts at bulk barn too she paid like $2.15 for a really small amount.

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KathleenC Posted 7 May 2013 , 9:56pm
post #11 of 25

Alas, we don't yet have a Bulk Barn where I live.

 

However, there's one opening soon apparently, and I'm really excited to check it out!   (isn't that sad? icon_redface.gif )

 

Thankfully, it's not TOO close to me, so I won't be tempted to go there every day.  icon_biggrin.gif

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DeniseNH Posted 7 May 2013 , 10:06pm
post #12 of 25

Mine is definitely white.  Your's looks so gross.  Definitely something is wrong.  Don't feel that they will be insulted.  As business owners, they need to know when their products are faulty.  I just got the chills up my spine thinking of your high ratio...................seriously.    Yuck.

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KathleenC Posted 7 May 2013 , 10:12pm
post #13 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeniseNH 

Mine is definitely white.  Your's looks so gross.  Definitely something is wrong. 

 

Ya, I thought that too.  But when I phoned, I described the product to her (it's a small shop), and she said that that's what they use.  And they do commercial cakes there, as well a classes, etc.

 

OK...maybe I won't use it.  icon_sad.gif  I'm not going to take it back (it'll cost me the $2 I spent on it in gas to go there), but next time I'm in there, I might question them in person.  They have the product on the shelves.

 

Maybe I'll wait until Bulk Barn opens at the end of the month and try there.  I'm in no hurry...it was an experiment.  icon_smile.gif

 

Thanks again, everyone.

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DeniseNH Posted 8 May 2013 , 4:44pm
post #14 of 25

It should look like Crisco only just A LITTLE off white, not beige...........boy does that look gross.  I would bring it in to show them.  Maybe they don't know how much it's changed if it's in a closed (non see-through) container.   And yours looks awfully loose, it should be nice and solid, even more firm than Crisco.  There's something wrong.

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KathleenC Posted 8 May 2013 , 5:07pm
post #15 of 25

Thanks, Denise.  When I bought the container, there was more than one on the shelf, and they all looked the same.  The containers were clear...you could see the contents through the lids.

 

Funnily (is that a word?), when I first went into the store, I was looking for it in the area where they display their packages and containers of edibles (fondant, gumpaste, etc), and walked right by it because I was looking for something white.  When I asked, the clerk went right to where they were sitting and gave me one of the containers.  The reason I had missed it was because of how it looked...not what I had expected.

 

I guess I should have questioned it right then, but not ever having seen it before, I thought "well, they're the experts...", and took it at face value.  The fact that I was told on the phone that they themselves use it made me second-guess my doubts as well.  However, all the comments on this thread have certainly made me not want to use it.

 

I'm going to wait until I can buy some elsewhere (in a small quantity).  Like I said...it's not crutial.  I just wanted to try it because of all the positive comments on this site about it's superior quality for ABC.

 

icon_smile.gif

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MeghanKelly Posted 8 May 2013 , 5:13pm
post #16 of 25

I buy mine in 6# blocks and it looks nothing like what you have.

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KathleenC Posted 8 May 2013 , 6:13pm
post #17 of 25

Well, folks...interesting follow-up of sorts.

 

So, I figured if I wasn't going to use it to make icing, I might as well play with it.  icon_razz.gif

 

The person I spoke with at the store said that once it's whipped, it goes white(r).  So I put it in a bowl and took my little hand whisk and beat the living out of it.  (I now have a sore arm...I really should be doing weights or something...)

 

I put it back in the original containter and I took a picture.  Same place on the counter, same lighting, same camera.

 

 

It IS whiter, with a firmer texture.  Not as solid as shortening would normally be, but certainly not as gross looking as the original product.  I'm thinking if my arm wasn't so sore and I whipped it even longer, it would resemble what it's supposed to resemble.  Right?

 

OK...so now I'm torn.

 

Should I use it?

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Annabakescakes Posted 8 May 2013 , 6:35pm
post #18 of 25

ASince it is such a small amount, there is no harm in trying it, a minimal amout of ingredients will be wasted if it is bad.

For kicks and giggles, I jammed some of mine in a similar container and took a picture with a similar background. [IMG]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3002393/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

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Annabakescakes Posted 8 May 2013 , 6:37pm
post #19 of 25

AYou can see it is firm and opaque rather than wobbly and translucent.... Like a dead jellyfish in a bowl, like what you purchased.

I am very interested to know what brand yours is. Mine is Alpine.

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KathleenC Posted 8 May 2013 , 6:45pm
post #20 of 25

Mine isn't as firm as yours, but it certainly looks more alike than the original!

 

I'm going to try it.  Like you say, minimal ingredients; minimal loss if it doesn't work.

 

And I was really trying to find a suitable descriptor for my original product - you nailed it.  "Dead jellyfish"  icon_biggrin.gif

 

I don't really know what brand for sure...she said it was "Golden Gate", but I can't find that name as it refers to high ratio shortening, but I did find something called "cake and icing shortening", which I read on another forum might be the name used for high ratio.  *shrug*  Dunno.  icon_smile.gif

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Annabakescakes Posted 8 May 2013 , 7:18pm
post #21 of 25

It really does look a lot better!

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enga Posted 9 May 2013 , 7:31am
post #22 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathleenC 

Well, folks...interesting follow-up of sorts.

 

So, I figured if I wasn't going to use it to make icing, I might as well play with it.  icon_razz.gif

 

The person I spoke with at the store said that once it's whipped, it goes white(r).  So I put it in a bowl and took my little hand whisk and beat the living out of it.  (I now have a sore arm...I really should be doing weights or something...)

 

I put it back in the original containter and I took a picture.  Same place on the counter, same lighting, same camera.

 

 

It IS whiter, with a firmer texture.  Not as solid as shortening would normally be, but certainly not as gross looking as the original product.  I'm thinking if my arm wasn't so sore and I whipped it even longer, it would resemble what it's supposed to resemble.  Right?

 

OK...so now I'm torn.

 

Should I use it?


Wow! KathleenC, what a difference.  I'd use it. After I googled images of HRS, some of them are opaque in color.  It cant hurt to try it, let us know how it turned out.  It looks so light and fluffy which might be a good thing icon_wink.gif.

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enga Posted 9 May 2013 , 7:48am
post #23 of 25

I found this:  http://goldengatemargarine.com/industrial/, they have a special blend for cakes and icing.  I think it comes in that color, hth.
 

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KathleenC Posted 9 May 2013 , 2:41pm
post #24 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by enga 

I found this:  http://goldengatemargarine.com/industrial/, they have a special blend for cakes and icing.  I think it comes in that color, hth.
 

 

That's the site I found as well.  However, because I'm unfamiliar with specialty baking products, and it didn't say "High Ratio" in blinking neon lights, I wasn't sure what those were.  Looking at it now, I'm thinking it's perhaps the Covo product.

 

Thanks, all!  I'm learning new stuff every day!  On to my next experiment.  icon_smile.gif

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PTDixieGal Posted 9 May 2013 , 9:59pm
post #25 of 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by enga 


Wow! KathleenC, what a difference.  I'd use it. After I googled images of HRS, some of them are opaque in color.  It cant hurt to try it, let us know how it turned out.  It looks so light and fluffy which might be a good thing icon_wink.gif.

Yes, please do. There is a restaurant/bakery supply store that I'm interested in checking out and IF they have it, I might try it.

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