Preparing fluid shortening for use in yeast raised bakery products

In a process for making yeast raised bakery products containing shortening the improvement comprising preparing a fluid shortening by:

• heating a mixture of soft mono- and diglycerides, ester emulsifiers, solid stearine, and liquid vegetable oil to form a liquefied molten mixture, said mixture comprising by weight 4 to 14 parts of said soft monoand diglycerides derived from vegetable oil and having an iodine value of at least 40, 2 to 8 parts of said ester emulsifiers selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated monoglyceride, ethoxylated sorbitan, ethoxylated mannitan, ethoxylated monooleate, sodium stearoyl-1-lactylate, calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate, sodium stearoyl-2- lactylate, ethoxylated propylene glycol monoesters, ethoxylated triglycerol monostearate, and succinylated monoglyceride, 2 to 8 parts of said solid stearine, and about 40 to 100 parts of said liquid vegetable oil;
• rapidly cooling said molten mixture to a temperature between about 82.degree. to 88.degree.F to initiate beta-crystal formation and produce a chilled blend having dispersed fat crystals;
• working said chilled blend at temperatures between 82.degree. to 88.degree.F to develop beta-crystal formation and produce a substantially uniform dispersion containing beta-fat crystals are in equilibrium with said liquid vegetable oil;
• and
• fluidizing said uniform dispersion by agitating at temperatures of 80.degree. to 90.degree.F for time sufficient to complete the beta-crystal formation and produce a stabilized fluid shortening.