Cut back on butter in but not flavor with these baking tips from the Canola Oil council.
Want to indulge with a tad less guilt this holiday season? Use canola oil in recipes that call for oil or solid fat in baked goods like breads, loaves and muffins, says Shirley Corriherr, author of the new BakeWise cookbook and winner of the James Beard Award for Excellence. Canola oil has the least amount of saturated fat of any common cooking oil and is free of trans fat and cholesterol.
When substituting canola oil for other oils or solid fat, you will reduce the saturated fat content of baked goods. You will also reduce the total amount of fat by up to 25 percent and eliminate trans fat and cholesterol when using canola oil instead of butter or lard. Use the chart below to convert your recipes:
Solid Fat to Canola Oil Conversion Chart
Solid Fat (melted) Canola Oil
1 cup (250 mL) 3/4 cup (175 mL)
3/4 cup (175 mL) 2/3 cup (150 mL)
1/2 cup (125 mL) 1/3 cup (75 mL)
1/4 cup (50 mL) 3 Tbsp (45 mL)
“Canola oil not only makes baked goods healthier, it makes them moister and more tender,” Corriher says. “I use canola oil in almost all of my muffin and cake recipes.”
“Oil makes cakes more tender by preventing gluten formation in the flour,” she explains. “Oil does this better than solid fats. I prefer canola oil because of its healthy fats, light texture and mild flavor.”
In addition to being the only common cooking oil that can claim it is low in saturated fat, canola oil is a good source of omega-3 fat and vitamin E. Its neutral taste allows it to be used in a wide variety of recipes without interfering with the flavor or texture of other ingredients.
Go to www.canolainfo.org for more information and recipes.
