Is Canola Oil Good For Baking?

!±8± Is Canola Oil Good For Baking?

Canola oil is good for your heart and to use in the kitchen for cooking but have you ever wondered if it's good to bake with?

One of the healthiest for your heart and most versatile cooking oil in use today, Canola oil is used widely by both home cooks and professional chefs alike. It's light, clear and has a mild taste, which makes it ideal for cooking, fondues, stir-frying, salads and marinades. And, yes, even baking!

This oil can replace the other types of unhealthy fats or oils you've used previously in baking to help lower the saturated and trans fat content of your favorite recipes. Besides using it in the recipe itself, use it to generously grease your cake pans and cookie sheets so you've eliminated even more fats from your diet. Every little bit you can change in the kitchen will count toward your better overall health.

When using Canola oil as a substitution for shortenings or margarines, replace it in the following measurements:

Solid Fat to Oil Conversion Chart

Solid Fat-------------------------Oil

1 cup---------------------------3/4 cup

3/4 cup------------------------2/3 cup

1/2 cup------------------------1/3 cup

1/ 3 cup-----------------------1/4 cup

1/4 cup------------------------3 Tablespoons

1 teaspoon--------------------3/4 teaspoon

1 Tablespoon------------------2 1/4 teaspoons

2 Tablespoons-----------------1-1/2 Tablespoons

Now get ready for some delicious recipes using Canola oil for baking:

BEST BROWNIES EVER

1/3 Cup Canola Oil

1 Cup White Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 Cup Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

3 Tbsp. Cocoa

1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Beat Canola oil and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, add vanilla. Slowly add flour, salt, cocoa and nuts. Beat until thoroughly mixed together.

Grease 8x8 inch pan with Canola oil (spray is OK). Spread mixture in pan and bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Test several places in middle of pan with cake tester for doneness.

Cool in pan and then cut into squares. Frost if you would like.

COCONUT-DATE MACAROONS

3/4 tsp. Canola Oil

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Egg

1 1/2 Cups Finely Chopped Dates

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal

1 Cup Coconut

Beat egg and sugar in medium size pot. Add chopped dates. Over low heat, cook-stirring constantly until dates are softened and stringy. About 15 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes. Stir in oil, vanilla and cereal. Mix very well.

Roll into a walnut size ball and then roll in coconut. Place on waxed paper.

Transfer to containers when completely cool. These may be frozen for later use.

COLD OVEN POUND CAKE

1/2 lb. Butter

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

3 Cups White Sugar

5 Large Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 Cup Milk

With mixer, beat butter until well creamed. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and slowly add the oil and sugar, alternately, while beating well. Add eggs one at t time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add them alternately with the milk to the butter mixture. Beat well.

Pour into a well greased and floured tube pan. Put cake in a COLD oven, and THEN turn on oven to 350°. Bake for about 60 to 75 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then turn upside on wire rack to finish cooling. Cake should slide out of pan as it cools.

Serve with berries or ice cream or frost with a drizzling of powdered sugar frosting in the flavor of your choice.

WHEAT AND POTATO CORN BREAD

1 Pkg Active Dry Yeast

1 Tbs. Sugar

2 Cups Warm Potato Water, Divided

1/4 Cup Canola Oil

1 Tbs. Salt

3/4 Cup Mashed Potatoes-no butter, milk or seasonings

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

3 Cups Whole-Wheat Flour

1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal

Mix the yeast and sugar well with 1/2 Cup warm potato water and let set for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, salt and the remaining potato water. Add the mashed potatoes, stir in the yeast/sugar/water mixture and beat well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours and cornmeal, stir.

Add the flours gradually to the wet ingredients to make stiff dough. Turn out on a floured board and knead until the dough is no longer sticky-about 10 minutes.

Place in a well-greased glass bowl and turn over in bowl to coat the top. Cover with a clean dishtowel and allow to rise in a draft free place until doubled-about 2 hours.

Punch down the dough and knead another 3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise again for about 30 minutes.

Place on a well-floured board and divide into 2 parts. Leave the dough on the board, cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 400°.

Place into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Cover and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough appears just above the top of the pans-about 1 hour. Dust the loaves lightly with flour.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes OR until brown and hollow sounding when tapped with your knuckle or a butter knife handle.

Immediately turn out of the pans onto a clean cloth and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

These are just a few of the great tasting recipes using Canola Oil that are good for your heart and your tummy! Enjoy!