Fats

Butter, lard, shortening, oils. These are the fats we think of when we think of baking. There are also other fats that we might not think of: the fat in egg yolks and chocolate can also affect the final baked good. All fats serve the following functions in baked goods:

• tenderizing
• enriching
• carrying flavors

Please see the fabulous (if I do say so myself) discussion of fats over at How Baking Ingredients Work. You'll be glad you did.