What's the big deal about using olive oil? I've been researching and researching the topic of oils and the one thing all the experts out there seem to agree on is the healthfulness of olive oil. Of course, most of them feel it needs to be Organic First Cold Pressed Extra Virgin but others are more concerned with the clarity vs the cloudiness of it, and yet others suggest that as long as you use some form of it you are already taking a step in the right direction.
I've read conflicting information about canola oil and safflower oil. Some say they are good and some say they are bad.The arguments center around how they are derived and how the saturation work in our bodies.
But since they all seem to agree that olive oil is hands down the best oil you can use and put into your body, then I'm happy to use olive oil. I've read that coconut oil and flax seed oils are beneficial as well and that butter is also a great option if you are sticking with natural foods (butter isn't as bad as we've all been led to believe).
So, the big question is can you use it in baking? People worry about the flavor of the olive oil coming through in their baked goods. While in a savory dish we usually want the strong flavor of the olive oil to penetrate our foods, in baking that's not the case. Here's what I've discovered. If you cook the olive oil it loses most of it's flavor (in some cases, ALL of it's flavor) so you can bake with it and not notice. I've been using olive oil in my baking for years and I've never noticed it changing the taste of the recipe.
But there are different flavor strengths of olive oil (or so I'm told) in which case you could surely use a stronger flavor for your savory dishes and a lighter flavor for your baking.
7 comments:
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How do you cook your olive oil before you bake with it? Do you toss the needed amount in a sauce pan and heat it or do you precook a certain amount and use as needed? Does this work for extra virgin olive oil? I am very interested because I have changed to olive oil for all my cooking but couldn't switch for baking. If precooking the oil really works I'd love to give it a try and see if it works for me. Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Anna,
Thanks for the comments. I realize now that I wasn't very specific about cooking the olive oil. Actually, it "cooks" in your baked goods. So, as you are baking the recipe the flavor of the oil should come out of the oil. Extra virgin as well. BUT if you are using a strong olive oil that you can still taste in your baking, then by all means, put the measured amount in a saucepan and just heat it over medium heat for a few minutes...till it's heated through. You can dip a spoon into it, blow on it to cool it (so that you don't burn your tongue) and taste it to see if the taste is more mild or gone completely. Then add it to your recipe.
I've personally never had to heat it prior to using in baked goods. I always just measure and dump it in my cake or cookie recipe and it comes out great without the slightest hint of the olive oil taste. =0)
Hope this was helpful!
I never considered using Olive oil in baking. I had always assumed the flavor would come through.Thanks for the info!
For awhile there I used Olive oil in everything, including all baking. We never noticed a stronger flavor or any difference at all. Now it has gotten so pricey, that I use Canola oil as well, with olive oil being used more sparingly.
I love olive oil, but once I tried it in my brownie recipe and that was all you could taste. I don't understand all about the science of some things but I know it was bad in brownies!
Try light or extra light olive oil for for baking; it does not have a flavor. But use the cold pressed extra virgin stuff for salads. Personally, I use grapseed oil for baking and sauteeing since it has a higher smoking point and neutral flavor.
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