When you think of using oil and vinegar in cooking, perhaps recipes of marinades, salad dressings, and sautés come to mind.
But did you know you can also enjoy your oils and vinegars in your desserts?!
With their versatile components and pop of flavor, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegars can add a new–and somewhat healthier–take on favorite desserts. Olive oil in particular has become a major player in the ingredient line-up for desserts, and for good reason!
Olive Oil in Desserts
Incorporating oil or butter into cakes, breads, and cookies isn’t a new concept. Oil is that key that keeps baked goods and desserts moist with great texture and delicious flavor. Without it, desserts end up flat, dry, and lacking flavor.
When swapping out that canola oil or vegetable oil that lacks flavor and nutrition, extra virgin olive oil carries with it exciting flavor and added health benefits. Desserts are just one of the many olive oil uses.
Olive Oil Cake
In fact, olive oil cake is an easy and delicious dessert that highlights the dynamic flavor of the extra virgin olive oil. This simple base can be upgraded with different fruits or other sweet ingredients to make an easy dessert. Check out all of Fustini's recipes to find inspiration for an olive oil cake–such as sweet Almond Pear olive oil cake or savory Lemon & Rosemary olive oil cake.
Short on time for whipping up a cake? Fustini’s Olive Oil Cake Mix makes baking from scratch super quick and easy. Just add olive oil (such as Blood Orange or Meyer Lemon), milk, and eggs to the mix and you’re on your way to creating a sweet or savory dessert.
Check out more tips for baking with olive oil in this blog article: Your Guide to Baking with EVOO.
Olive Oil Ice Cream
In addition to baked olive oil cakes and olive oil cookies, your olive oil dessert can also take a cooler direction. Olive oil ice cream can be an easy and flavorful alternative to store bought pints. While still dairy-based, olive oil ice cream gets its flavor from the flavor-infused olive oil included.
For example, this Lemon Olive Oil Ice Cream recipe utilizes both lemon zest and Meyer Lemon extra virgin olive oil. With some creativity–and high-quality olive oil–your dessert possibilities are endless.
Balsamic Vinegar in Desserts
And speaking of ice cream, balsamic vinegar can also be easily incorporated into your favorite desserts. Check out these easy examples for sweetening up your dessert with healthy balsamic vinegar.
Macerated Berries over Ice Cream - One of the easiest ways to incorporate balsamic vinegar in your sweet treats is by using macerated berries.
Using any balsamic vinegar of your choice, you create a sauce by letting berries sit with the balsamic and sugar for about 30 minutes. Then, you’ll have a sweet sauce perfect for ice cream, cakes, breads, and more!
Balsamic Berries with Honeyed Greek Yogurt - This simple and easy recipe includes just a few ingredients, such as Maple balsamic, but can be the perfect healthy sweet treat any time of day!
Caramelized Baked Apples with Walnut Filling - Elevate the sweetness of the walnut filling with Cinnamon Pear balsamic vinegar in these simple fall treats.
Using Balsamic Vinegar AND Olive Oil In Desserts
What’s better than having balsamic vinegar in your dessert? Having BOTH vinegar and olive oil in the same dessert.
This powerful combination isn’t just for salad dressings and marinades. You can also elevate your desserts with both vinegar and oil, too!
This duo comes in handy in particular with pies, crumbles, and more. For example, this Apple Crumble with Maple Ice Cream features Maple and Michigan Apple balsamics in both the ice cream and filling, incorporating Meyer Lemon olive oil in the crust. With all these flavor-infused ingredients, the end result is a pop of flavor in each sweet bite.
This Apple Pound Cake includes the versatile and flavor-packed Butter olive oil in the cake mix with an added pop of sweetness in the caramel topping, thanks to the Michigan Apple balsamic vinegar.
Or, cool it down a bit with this tropical Coconut Lime Sorbet, using both Persian Lime olive oil and Coconut balsamic vinegar.
Check out Fustini's recipe page for more inspiration and ideas to whip up!
Elevate Your Desserts with Oil & Vinegar
The versatility of olive oil and vinegar makes them perfect ingredients for your desserts. Whether sweet or savory, these flavor-infused options can help you add flavor in new–and perhaps healthier–ways.
Shop online or stop in one of our four store locations to discover sweet and savory flavors for yourself!