Can you bake with Olive Oil?

This is what most people ask when I mention my baking adventures with olive oil. The short answer is yes which is great news if you're after a healthier treat or looking to do some dairy free baking.

How to bake with Olive Oil 

For any recipe that calls for oil of any type, olive oil is the perfect choice. With its near perfect balance of Omega 3 and 6, it's a no-brainer if you're looking to cut down on saturated fats. For many recipes that call for butter it's also very often possible to substitute olive oil.

Great for vegan baking

In Ireland we've all been brought up to assume butter (or margarine) are the only options when you want to make a cake or dessert and that's just not the case. The huge rise in vegan cooking and baking in the last couple of years has disproved this and these days vegan or not, most of us have tasted some pretty incredible butter-free treats. 

How to substitute olive oil for butter

As a general rule you use 3/4 the amount of butter called for by the recipe. So, if your recipe asks for 100gr melted butter you will use 75gr olive oil. Simple.

What type of olive oil should I use when baking?

If you're new to baking with olive oil I'd recommend a lighter variety like Arbequina. Arbequina olive oil has a delicate flavour so it won't  overwhelm the taste of lighter ingredients and flavours.  If you're making a chocolate cake however,  you can use a more robust oil like Picaul.

Where to start with baking with olive oil?

How about these very simple but incredibly moreish olive oil cookies with raspberries and white chocolate?

Raspberries and white chocolate are heaven together and this recipe is a cinch to put together but there is one catch. Raspberries have a lot of liquid in them and can make your cookies a bit "doughy". For this recipe I dehydrate them out a little by laying them out on a baking sheet and putting them in the oven for about 40 mins at a low heat. This concentrates their gorgeous flavour and keeps your cookies crunchy. I know, it sounds like a bit of a palaver but really there's nothing to it - just throw them into a baking sheet straight from the freezer and come back later. After that, these cookies take about 5 minutes to put together.

White chocolate, Raspberries and Olive Oil Cookies

150gr Raspberries (I usually use frozen)

75gr Porridge Oats

100gr Self-raising Flour

60gr Rye flour (if you don't have rye, regular or wholemeal work just as well)

150gr brown sugar

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

A generous pinch of Salt

100ml olive oil 

125gr white chocolate (vegan or regular)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Turn your oven to 120 degrees and empty a pack of frozen raspberries onto 2 baking pans covered with grease proof paper. Spread out the berries and put them in the oven for 40 minutes checking them after 25 minutes in case your oven runs a bit hot. You want them to shrink by about 30% but not burn. When they are done, take them out and set aside to cool before you get on with making the cookies. At this stage you can turn up the oven to 180 degrees.

 

While the raspberries are in the oven, you can put all of the dry ingredients bar the chocolate into a mixing bowl.

 Next, cut your white chocolate into chunks. 

Add the olive oil to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the white chocolate and raspberries and as much of the water as you need to be able to shape the mix into cookie balls. Mix the dough gently to avoid completely mashing up the raspberries.

Divide the mixture into about 16 balls and lay these out on a baking tray covered in baking paper. Flatten each ball slightly with your palm then bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack (the ultimate test of your patience and willpower) then enjoy.