The main ingredients in baking are usually some type of fat and sugar.
The fats traditionally used in baking include lard, butter, and, more recently, margarine. The first two are of animal origin and therefore contain significant amounts of saturated fat. Margarine is made from vegetable oils, but it is a processed product, and some types may contain trans fats, which have been associated with negative health effects.
In conclusion, the traditional fats used in baking are not necessarily the healthiest options.
However, whether due to healthier eating habits or the significant improvement in the overall quality of olive oils in recent years, the use of olive oil in baking has been steadily increasing.
Here are some tips to help you successfully replace butter with olive oil:
- Since butter is usually around 85% fat and 15% water, while olive oil is almost 100% fat, when replacing butter with olive oil, you should reduce the amount of oil by around 15–20% compared to the amount of butter specified in the recipe.
- We recommend that you initially replace only part of the butter with olive oil until you find the right proportion for each recipe.
- There are many cakes and desserts where this substitution works particularly well, including cookies, muffins, desserts made with almonds and hazelnuts, and chocolate desserts. You can even use olive oil to make ice cream.
- Just as there are recipes where olive oil works very well, there are others where it is not recommended, such as croissants and puff pastry.
- In general, when baking with olive oil, we recommend adding a few minutes to the baking time and slightly reducing the oven temperature.
- We recommend using olive oil or extra virgin olive oil with sweet and mild flavors, while avoiding varieties with a strong bitter flavor. For this reason, Arbequina and Empeltre are among the most suitable varieties for successfully replacing butter.