Thursday, April 2, 2015

The Great Brownie/Oil Experiment

The brownie recipe I have used many times in the past, calls for:
1/2 cup Margarine melted
1 cup Sugar
2 large Eggs
1 teaspoon Almond or Vanilla extract
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Flour
plus whatever Nuts or Chocolate chips you want

Bake at 325F in an 8x8 pan for 25-30 minutes.

At my apartment, we are currently out of margarine but have a whole dozen eggs to eat before the expiration date tomorrow! And so the great brownie-oil experiment begins... 

Note that the only thing changing in the recipes is the type of oil being used as a substitute for margarine in the original recipe. 

Basic Ingredients: 

Oils being tested:




For the first batch:
1/2 cup Coconut oil
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Almond extract
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

After baking for 35 minutes at 325F:
Results: 
Tasted great, no distinct coconut flavor but 
a definite added sweetness. They were a little dry and quickly hardened.

For the second batch:
1/2 cup Olive oil 
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Almond extract
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

After baking for 35 minutes at 325F

Results: These brownies came out a grey-almost-green color. 
They were very moist and chewy, tasted great. 
I would maybe use a frosting in the future 
to cover the color. 


For the third batch:
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Almond extract
1/3 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

After baking in the oven for 35 minutes at 325F

Results: I thought these brownies looked the most like a brownie should. 
They were the right color but a little too moist, kept falling apart.

Nutrient wise when we look at the three oils:
Nutrient Info per ½ cup oil (per batch) Coconut Oil Olive Oil Smart Balance Vegetable Oil
Calories 940 cal 955 cal 2080 cal
Total Fat 109g 108g 224g
Saturated Fat 95g 15g 24g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 79g 80g
Trans Fat 0g 0g 0g

Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fat. About 75% of the fat in olive oil comes from omega-9-fatty acid (oleic acid). Olive oil provides a variety of health benifits, from antioxidants protecting our blood vessels to monounsaturated fat decreasing LDL cholesterol levels, olive oil can be a healthy choice. Extra Virgin and Cold Pressed are highest in antioxidants.

The brownies made with olive oil were the healthiest and best texture, but not quite the right color.
The brownies made with coconut tasted the best to me but were a bit dry and got hard quickly.
The brownies made with vegetable oil looked the best but were the least healthy and almost too moist.

In the future I would probably use olive oil or just make vegan brownies.


No comments:

Post a Comment