Baking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Mediterranean foods, including gourmet extra virgin olive oil, should be a staple in your heart healthy lifestyle.
Did you know that you can use extra virgin olive oil in your baking recipes
as well as in a flavoring for salads, meats, pastas and for frying?
It’s true! You can incorporate an extra virgin olive oil in baking recipes that call for butter and you will automatically make your recipes healthier because olive oil is lower in saturated fat than butter. Additionally, mixing olive oil into your recipes enhances the item and offers the food a nuanced flavor that will leave your guests clamoring for your baking secrets.
Our Best Extra Virgin Olive Oils for Cooking
Butter to Olive Oil Conversion Table
| Butter/Margarine | Olive Oil |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | = 3/4 teaspoon |
| 1 tablespoon | = 2 1/4 teaspoons |
| 2 tablespoons | = 1 1/2 tablespoons |
| 1/4 cup | = 3 tablespoons |
| 1/3 cup | = 1/4 cup |
| 1/2 cup | = 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons |
| 2/3 cup | = 1/2 cup |
| 3/4 cup | = 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon |
| 1 cup | = 3/4 cup |
In most baked goods, extra virgin olive oil can be substituted for butter or margarine. You will have to carefully add the oil to the recipe using the ratio of three parts extra virgin olive oil being equal to four parts butter. What this means, is that if the baking recipe calls for eight tablespoons of butter you will substitute six tablespoons of olive oil. Be advised that this substitution process won’t work well if the recipe requires a lot of creaming together of butter and sugar (this would be in recipes for fluffy or super light cakes – such as an angel food). Olive oil is also not the proper choice for recipes in which the fat in the recipe needs to remain a solid as in frosting recipes.
Convert Vegetable or Canola Oil to Olive Oil
If your recipe calls for vegetable or canola oil, you should definitely substitute those oils with gourmet extra virgin olive oil. Any dessert recipe that calls for vegetable oil as an ingredient is a perfect choice for olive oil. In these recipes, the swap would be a one-to-one ratio. In other words if the recipe calls for one cup of vegetable oil, you would simply use extra virgin olive oil. Imagine how the smooth, delicious flavor of gourmet olive oil will enhance the flavor of a chocolate or a carrot cake!
Benefits of Baking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil will to cut down on "bad" cholesterol and saturated fats in your recipes and baking. Olive Oil is considered a "good" fat, unlike butter and margarine. It also contains extra antioxidants (natural chemicals that help protect our cells) and it contains vitamin-E which will give your recipes a heart-healthy boost. The vitamin-E may even help keep your breads and muffins fresher, longer.
Choose premium olive oils from reputable providers and steer clear of counterfeits and deceptions learn more
Making the decision to incorporate gourmet olive oil in your baking recipes is best served if you’re using high quality extra virgins such as those offered at Oliviers & Co. Using a low quality olive oil is akin to cooking with a wine that you wouldn’t want to drink. You’re using gourmet extra virgin olive oil in your baking recipes to not only be more heart healthy but to ramp up the flavors in your baking. As chefs know, low-quality oils can bring with them an overpowering taste that can noticeably change the flavor of your baked goods.
Experiment with adding extra virgin olive oils to your recipes and gauge the reaction of your diners when they sample your baked goods with the delicious, nuanced flavor that only gourmet olive oil can bring.
Baking with Olive Oil Recipes - Try These, They're Delicious
How can Oliviers & Co offer the worlds best olive oil?
