Why does cold fat create more layers in dough than warm fat?

You're right, cold fat does create more layers in dough than warm fat. Here's why:

The Science of Fat and Gluten:

* Gluten Development: When you mix flour and water, gluten proteins form. These proteins are long, stretchy strands that give dough its structure and elasticity.

* Fat's Role: Fat interferes with gluten development by coating the gluten strands. This limits their ability to connect and form a strong network.

* Cold Fat's Impact: Cold fat is solid and has a higher melting point. It takes longer to melt and mix into the dough, which gives the gluten time to develop before the fat completely coats it. This results in more layers.

* Warm Fat's Impact: Warm fat melts quickly, coating the gluten strands more rapidly and hindering their development. The dough becomes more tender but with fewer layers.

The Result:

* Cold fat leads to a flaky, layered texture: This is common in pastries, biscuits, and pie crusts, where flakiness is desired.

* Warm fat leads to a softer, more tender texture: This is often preferred in cakes and quick breads, where a light and airy texture is desired.

In summary: The key is that cold fat provides more time for gluten to develop before being inhibited by the fat, resulting in the formation of more layers in the dough.