Butter
Churned cream. Familiar, sweet and a little nutty.
Tastes likeCreamy, rounded and sweet. It turns toasty and nutty if you brown it gently in a heavy-based frying pan.
In baking
Gives cakes, muffins, cookies and shortbread a tender crumb and golden edges. It spreads a touch more than coconut oil in cookies.
In raw sweets
Sets soft in the fridge and melts on the tongue, so it suits fudge and creamy fillings but not firm bark.
Works when
Cakes, brownies, shortbread and anything where you'd like a classic buttery taste. Brown it for banana bread.
Doesn't work when
Raw slices that need to stay firm on a warm day, and anyone avoiding dairy. It contains milk.
Smoke pointabout 150°C (300°F)
Melting pointabout 32 to 35°C (90 to 95°F)
My tip Soften it first for creaming, or melt it and let it cool a little before it meets eggs.
Ghee
Butter that has been simmered and strained, leaving golden fat.
Tastes likeNutty, toasty and buttery, a bit richer and more savoury than butter.
In baking
Works in almost any baked sweet in place of butter, with a deeper flavour. Cookies and shortbread come out crisp at the edge.
In raw sweets
Sets a little firmer than butter and tastes toasty, which is lovely in date and nut sweets.
Works when
Spiced cakes, carrot cake, halva-style sweets and anything with cinnamon, cardamom or ginger.
Doesn't work when
Delicate fruit or vanilla desserts where you want a clean, sweet taste. Still a dairy product.
Smoke pointabout 250°C (480°F)
Melting pointabout 30 to 35°C (86 to 95°F)
My tip Melted ghee pours like oil, so measure it melted when the recipe says melted.
Coconut oil
Pressed from coconut flesh. Solid in a cool pantry, liquid in a warm kitchen.
Tastes likeVirgin is mildly coconutty and sweet. Refined has almost no taste.
In baking
Keeps cakes, muffins and brownies moist and gives cookies a crisp edge. It's solid when cold, so don't add it straight from the fridge to cold eggs or it will seize into flecks.
In raw sweets
The champion of raw sweets. It sets firm in the fridge and snaps cleanly, perfect for bark, fat bombs, truffles and slab bases.
Works when
Raw chocolate, fat bombs, cheesecake bases and fillings, ice cream, and any bake where coconut is welcome.
Doesn't work when
Bakes where you don't want any coconut flavour (choose refined). In summer it can soften and sweat on a warm bench.
Smoke pointabout 175°C virgin, about 230°C refined (350°F virgin, 450°F refined)
Melting pointabout 24°C (75°F)
My tip Bring cold eggs and milks to room temperature first, or add the oil last and stir through quickly.
Cacao butter
The pale, fragrant fat pressed from cacao beans. It's what makes chocolate melt so well.
Tastes likeMild, creamy and chocolatey, with a vanilla-like sweetness.
In baking
A spoonful in a brownie or mud cake adds a silky richness.
In raw sweets
Gives raw chocolate, truffles and white-chocolate style decorations a clean snap and a lovely melt.
Works when
Raw chocolate, bark, ganache, fat bombs and anything that should set firm and melt in the mouth.
Doesn't work when
Hot bakes in big amounts, since it hardens into waxy bits if the mix goes cold. It's also pricey.
Smoke pointabout 190°C (375°F)
Melting pointabout 34 to 38°C (93 to 100°F)
My tip Melt it gently over a bowl of just-simmering water and cool it a little before you stir in other ingredients.
Macadamia oil
Pressed from Australian macadamias. Golden, smooth and home-grown.
Tastes likeLight, buttery and gently nutty.
In baking
Great in cakes, muffins, banana bread and brownies where you want a soft, moist crumb and a quiet flavour.
In raw sweets
Stays liquid in the fridge, so it won't set a slice or bark. Fine in dressings for fruit salads and in smooth fillings that you freeze.
Works when
Moist cakes and muffins, oil-based sponges, and dairy-free baking when you'd like an easy pour.
Doesn't work when
Anything that needs to set firm, such as bark, truffles or fat bombs.
Smoke pointabout 200°C (390°F)
Melting pointliquid at room temperature, turns cloudy and thick in a cold fridge, about 4°C (40°F)
My tip Swap it for melted coconut oil in cakes, but add a spoonful of extra flour or nut meal if the batter looks loose.
Light olive oil
A mild, refined olive oil, pale and gentle.
Tastes likeNeutral and soft, with only a hint of fruit.
In baking
Makes beautifully moist cakes, chocolate cakes and muffins. It's a classic in orange and almond cakes.
In raw sweets
Stays liquid when chilled, so it won't set. Not for bark or truffles.
Works when
Citrus, chocolate and almond cakes, muffins, and loaves.
Doesn't work when
Raw sweets and anything that needs to set. Peppery extra virgin oil brings a grassy note, so use it only if you enjoy that in a sweet.
Smoke pointabout 240°C (465°F)
Melting pointliquid at room temperature, turns cloudy in the fridge at about 5°C (41°F)
My tip Use the same amount as melted butter or coconut oil, and whisk it in with the eggs.
Beef tallow
Rendered beef fat, firm and creamy-white.
Tastes likeMild, rich and savoury, with a faint beefy note that is stronger when it isn't well rendered.
In baking
Makes crisp, flaky pastry and crumbly shortcrust. Works in spiced, treacle-style or gingerbread bakes where the savoury note sits in the background.
In raw sweets
Not for raw sweets. It sets hard and waxy and the savoury taste shows.
Works when
Pie pastry, sweet pastry, pecan and pumpkin pie crusts, and dark spiced cakes.
Doesn't work when
Raw sweets, vanilla and fruit desserts, ice cream and anything delicate. Choose well-rendered, clean-tasting tallow.
Smoke pointabout 205°C (400°F)
Melting pointabout 40 to 45°C (104 to 113°F)
My tip For pastry keep it cold, and cut it in like butter so you get flaky layers.
Pork lard
Rendered pork fat, soft and white. Bakers have used it for generations.
Tastes likeVery mild when it's well rendered, and softer in flavour than tallow.
In baking
The old-school fat for tender, flaky pastry, sweet pies, scones and shortbread.
In raw sweets
Not for raw sweets, because it stays soft and the savoury flavour shows through.
Works when
Pastry, tarts, pies, fruit scones and shortbread.
Doesn't work when
Raw and set desserts, mousses and anything with a delicate flavour. Use leaf lard or a well-rendered lard for the mildest taste.
Smoke pointabout 190°C (375°F)
Melting pointabout 36 to 42°C (97 to 108°F)
My tip Chill it well before rubbing into flour, and rest the pastry in the fridge before baking.
Duck fat
Golden fat rendered from duck. A French kitchen treasure.
Tastes likeSilky, rich and savoury, with a gentle poultry note.
In baking
Gives pastry a lovely short, rich crumb and can work in nutty or spiced bakes. A little goes a long way.
In raw sweets
Not for raw sweets. It stays soft and tastes savoury.
Works when
Pie crusts, spiced or nutty cakes and shortbread-style biscuits where a savoury edge is welcome.
Doesn't work when
Anything vanilla, fruity or chocolatey, and anything that has to set firm.
Smoke pointabout 190°C (375°F)
Melting pointsoftens at about 20°C (68°F) and is fully melted by about 30°C (86°F)
My tip Chill it before making pastry so it behaves like firm butter.
Nut butters
Almond, cashew, macadamia or hazelnut butter, made from roasted or raw nuts.
Tastes likeNutty, rich and a little sweet. The flavour depends on the nut you pick.
In baking
Adds richness and moisture to brownies, blondies, cookies and banana bread. It gives bakes a dense, fudgy crumb.
In raw sweets
Great for no-bake bars, bliss balls, slabs and ice cream swirls. Stir it into melted coconut oil or cacao butter to get a firm set.
Works when
Brownies, cookies, bars, bliss balls and fudge-style sweets.
Doesn't work when
Makes light cakes dense, so it is a poor swap for oil there. It also can't be used where nut-free is needed.
Smoke pointnot for hot pans: nut solids start to scorch above about 150°C (300°F)
Melting pointno true melting point. Warm it gently to about 40°C (104°F) to loosen it
My tip Replace only part of the fat with nut butter, and keep the rest as the recipe says, so the texture stays right.
