What Can I Use Instead Of Vegetable Shortening For Lily's Scones?

Our answer

The recipe for Lily's Sconesm(from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) produces light and tender scones. The texture is helped by a combination of butter and vegetable shortening.

Unfortunately many brands of vegetable shortening include palm oil. In the US it is possible to buy brands without palm oil, though this is more difficult elsewhere. If it is a problem then we would suggest replacing the vegetable shortening with 25g/2 tablespoons of extra butter, as mentioned in the recipe. You may also be able to use lard as an alternative in the UK, if you can eat animal fats, as block lard has a fairly neutral flavour and is good for pastry. It may also be possible to use coconut oil. Unrefined (also known as virgin or extra virgin) coconut oil is usually cold pressed and has quite a coconutty taste which may come though in the scones a little and so may not be ideal. But refined and some expeller-pressed coconut oils have a more neutral taste and so would be better for the scones. Make sure that the coconut oil is thoroughly chilled and solid before you use it, as coconut oil has a fairly low melting point and can be liquid at room temperature. It may also help to chill the bowl that you are going to make the scones in, to help to keep the scone mixture cool.