Extra virgin olive oil in desserts is an excellent alternative to butter and in some ways certainly better; butter, in fact, contains 49% unsaturated fats while extra virgin olive oil only 15%. The health properties of extra virgin olive oil are famous: it is a fantastic antioxidant, it is rich in vitamin E and polyphenols, important elements that fight free radicals and slow down cellular aging. Then again, squalene, omega 3 and 6, monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin K. Not for nothing is it the main condiment in the Mediterranean diet.

Using Evo oil instead of butter for the preparation of desserts is an excellent choice, as well as healthy, better cooking and better conservation, it preserves all its properties even in cooking up to a maximum temperature of 210º. On the contrary, the butter is altered with high temperatures and sweets tend to dry out earlier than those packed with Evo oil; the latter, on the contrary, gives color and prolonged freshness. Extra virgin olive oil is to be preferred in the preparation of desserts, but it is important to choose the type to be used well, especially for recipes with a delicate taste; in this case it is better to choose an oil with a light taste so that its flavor does not overpower the other ingredients of the preparation.

Practically "liquid gold" can be used for all sweet recipes, comparing it to 2/3 of the amount of butter indicated in the recipe. For example, in the case of 150g of butter, you will have to make 150: 3 = 50, then multiply the result by 2, and therefore it will be 50 x 2 = 100. This is the correct amount of oil to use.

Therefore, you will have to opt for a high quality extra virgin olive oil, which will accompany all your passion for cooking and all your good will to create natural sweets full of love, a true delight for the palate. If the oil was purchased directly from the mill or is of your own production, and the flavor is therefore "too strong", a clever remedy used in confectionery is to add a drop of perfumed liqueur to it.

Now let's see some little tips that can help you choose the oil that is most suitable for you, based on the use that will be made of it. The oils from the major islands and southern Italy have an intense fruitiness and strong notes of black pepper, with hints of cinnamon and almond; these oils are ideal in the preparation of biscuits. The taste is enhanced and digestibility increases because they are rich in polyphenols and tocopherols. Tuscan oils, on the other hand, are less strong from cultivars such as: Leccino, Frantoio or Olivastra Seggianese; they are more suitable to be used in the preparation of cakes and donuts because they give a fresher and more persistent taste. Medium oils with a great balance between bitter and spicy, are suitable for walnut cakes, apple strudel, Sicilian cassata, castagnaccio. The lighter oils and the almond aftertaste are perfect for extremely delicate preparations such as the classic yogurt donut, rice cake, fried cream, margherita cake, apple fritters or to make delicious spreads.

If you want to try delicious sweet recipes with the use of extra virgin olive oil, we invite you first to discover the our section dedicated to the best olive oils of Italy, and we indicate below the doses and the ingredients needed to make them.

The donut is the grandmother's sweet, the genuine one, soft, easy to make, and also very good; a success both at breakfast and as a snack, appreciated by young and old. Instead of butter, olive oil is used, which gives it a very particular aromatic note.

Extra virgin olive oil 130 g

farina 350 g

sugar 180 g

medium eggs 4

latte 50 g

baking powder 16 g

pinch of salt

grated zest of an orange

Break the eggs at room temperature in the container of the planetary mixer (or electric mixer); add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Operate the planetary mixer with the whisk and work the mixture well until it is whipped and lightened, then add the grated orange zest and the olive oil flush. When the oil has absorbed, add the milk at room temperature always pouring in a little. Replace the whisk of the planetary mixer with the leaf version, and continue pouring the previously sifted flour and yeast into the mixture a little at a time, until the mixture is homogeneous and fluid. Continue pouring the result into a rather deep greased and floured mold Ø 24 cm. Bake in a preheated static oven at 170 ° for about 50 minutes (if convection oven at 150 ° for about 40 minutes); if it darkens too much, it can be covered with a sheet of baking paper after the first 30 minutes of cooking. Once cooked, do the toothpick test and keep it in the oven for 5 minutes before taking it out of the oven. Allow it to cool before turning it out of the mold and letting it cool completely on a wire rack. The donut with olive oil can be kept under a glass bell for 3-4 days. To make it more delicious you can add dark chocolate chips; remember to add them to the dough as the last ingredient after having floured and frozen them first for about 1 hour.

Extra virgin olive oil 100 g

Flour 00 300g

Eggs 2

One teaspoon baking powder

Sugar 100 g

Pour the whole eggs into the mixer bowl and operate the whisk; add the extra virgin olive oil slowly, without stopping beating, and continue pouring the sugar and incorporate it. Change the whisk with the leaf and add the sifted flour and baking powder. At this point, transfer the dough onto a pastry board and work vigorously with your hands until you get a smooth and compact dough; wrap the result in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. After the resting time, the pastry is ready to be used to make fragrant biscuits or tasty tarts. The shortcrust pastry can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Alternatively, it can be frozen for a maximum of 1 month.

(Dose per 12 muffins)

farina 300 g

extra virgin olive oil 175

whole eggs 2

latte 250 g

1 sachet of baking powder

100 grams of chocolate in small pieces

Combine all the ingredients together, excluding the chocolate, and mix quickly with a spatula, without working the dough too much ( muffins would risk being stringy and chewy). Then add the small pieces of chocolate to the dough, and then fill the molds 3/4 of the way (preferably with the help of a piping bag). Bake at 180 ° (static) for 20-25 minutes until the muffins are golden; only at the end of cooking, insert a toothpick inside the muffin to check its cooking status (if the toothpick comes out dry, the muffins will be ready, otherwise if wet, re-cook for a few more minutes).

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