Shortening in Caramel?

[Bradchoc]

I have a commercial recipe for a caramel which includes shortening flakes as an ingredient. I'm trying to figure out what exactly the flakes bring to the recipe. Any thoughts?

[gfron1]

How odd. The obvious answer is the fat. A secondary thought is shelf life because it won't go rancid (shortening doesn't go rancid does it?). Never heard of such a thing and quite frankly not sure I'd want to eat it. At that point switch out with coconut fat.

[Chocolot]

I have a commercial recipe for a caramel which includes shortening flakes as an ingredient. I'm trying to figure out what exactly the flakes bring to the recipe. Any thoughts?

It might be referring to Paramount crystals. It is a hard coconut oil that was/is hard flakes of fat.

[Darienne]

My first response was: Sounds awful.  But then...I never tried it and along with Ron...won't.