Fats and oils

• Plasticity is the ability of a fat to soften over a range of temperature and be shaped and spread with light pressure
• Shortening is the ability of fats to shorten the length og gluten molecules in pastry
• Aeration is the ability of some fats to trap lots of air bubbles when beaten together with sugar
• Emulsification either, keeping drops of oil or fat suspended in a liquid and preventing them from separating out; or keeping drops of water suspended in an oil or fat and preventing them from separating out