3 Tasty Tips for Delicious Baking with Olive Oil
Oil has always been seen as a guilty pleasure, but not all oils are associated with fried fast foods. Olive oil, in particular, sweeps the culinary world with its health-boosting properties and distinct flavor, making it one of the best cooking oils that can take your gastronomic adventures to the next level.
When it comes to baking, fats like butter, lard, shortening, or margarine are the more go-to choice, but olive oil can also be a liquid gold that can boost your sweet recipes when paired with the right ingredients.
Tips for Baking with Olive Oil
Baking with olive oil opens up a world of possibilities to substitute and enhance your favorite recipes. Take a look below at some of our tips:
1. Add More Rich Flavor by Baking with Olive Oil
Butter may taste heavenly, but you can achieve the same level of complexity with a healthier alternative such as olive oil. Not only does it cut out saturated fats and bad cholesterol, but you can also incorporate a chock-full of antioxidants and vitamin E, bolstering your delightful desserts with healthy properties.
Beyond increasing your heart’s strength, vitamin E is also excellent for keeping bread, cake types, and muffins extra moist and fresh for longer periods. The savoriness of olive oil also perfectly complements sweet palates, rounding out the saccharine flavors with mature nuances.
2. Use the Right Olive Oil for the Job
High-quality olive oil can give cookies, chocolates, nuts, spices, and fruity delights a unique flavor profile, plus it creates a more dynamic texture that allows you to balance crunchiness and chewiness for cookies. For the highest quality available, look for extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin denotes olive oil in its most raw and pure form, providing the most flavor.
Extra-virgin olive oil can pack a punch to your treats as it can produce a smoother finish to stronger-flavored desserts like Mediterranean-style fruit cakes, olive bread, or biscotti.
However, don’t opt for extra-virgin olive oil for baked desserts with delicate flavors like sponge cakes since it can overwhelm the palate. Be sure to use mild-flavored olive oil since it will only bring out a hint of fruitiness to your desserts.
3. Know When Not to Use Olive Oil for Baking
Olive oil can do wonders for bringing out nuanced flavors to your sweet treats, but don’t use this liquid gold as a substitute for desserts, specifically for melted butter or creaming butter with sugar. While the flavor, consistency, and overall richness can often take the place of butter, there are instances where olive oil serves better as an addition rather than an ingredient replacement.
If you don’t have any butter on hand, olive oil can be used in a pinch for even those special circumstances. To make the switch, you can replace butter with olive oil by following a ratio of three parts olive oil equal to four parts butter. Just know that this may be stretching the bounds of the interchangeability of olive oil and butter.
The Bottom Line
Olive oil often has a powerful flavor even in its milder varieties, so it’s crucial to shop for the highest-quality olive oil available so you can elevate your bakes, giving it hints of nuttiness with an almost velvety texture in every bite. When baking with olive oil, consider our tips for knowing when and how to best take advantage of the fantastic properties of olive oil.
Where Can You Buy Olive Oil Online?
Olive oil is one of the most perennial favorite oils for cooking and baking, thanks to its health-boosting properties and earthy, gourmet-like flavor profile. Whether you’re looking for something to top your pizza, blend with your balsamic vinegar for dips, and even as a secret ingredient to your sweets, shop for authentic extra virgin olive oil here at The Olive Bar!