Using Olive Oil Instead of Butter

While it may sound a bit odd, baking with olive oil has actually been done for centuries. Olive oil gives cakes and cookies a light texture and can be used with confidence in lieu of butter or other oils. I always use a lower intensity extra-virgin olive oil when baking, like Olinda Ridge’s Late Harvest Gold. The dominant taste of high intensity olive oils may interfere with the end result taste.

Olive oil dramatically cuts back on the cholesterol and saturated fat content of desserts. It produces lighter-tasting baked goods and allows the flavor of the other ingredients to come forth. Because olive oil contains vitamin E, it helps to naturally maintain the freshness of baked goods and creates moist cakes, biscuits and muffins.

You can also use olive oil for preparing a baking pan before adding the dough or other mixture. Simply brush the oil onto your favorite baking pan, cookie sheet, spring-form pan or other type of baking dishes or pans.

To help you in determine how to substitute olive oil in baking or other cooking recipes, here is a handy conversion chart for adapting recipes from butter to olive oil:

Butter/Margarine	Olive Oil
1 teaspoon	3/4 teaspoon
1 tablespoon	2 1/4 teaspoons
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

Gigi Firenze’s Olive Oil Biscotti*
My mother, Gigi Firenze, had been baking biscotti for over 60 years. Her traditional recipe includes olive oil, instead of butter.

*Find Gigi Firenze’s Olive Oil Biscotti recipe on www.thepassionateolive.com/resouces.

Look for additional tips soon. If you can’t wait, please order a book and a bottle from Olinda Ridge or visit www.thepassionateolive.com.

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