Substituting Applesauce for Oil

Applesauce puree can be made at home with either unpeeled or peeled apples. Substituting applesauce for oil while baking low-fat goodies, is a great idea because this sauce has lesser calories as compared to oil. Baking with applesauce gives the dessert a distinct and mouth-watering flavor.

This technique of baking needs practice in order to achieve perfection this sauce does not blend with food the way most oils do. It changes the entire taste and consistency of the dish, including the time it takes to cook.

A small amount of oil still needs to be added while baking with this sauce in order for it to blend well with the ingredients of the dish.

Using applesauce has its benefits because it replicates the function of oil/fats in the dish, thereby giving the same results minus the additional calories. Secondly, this sauce helps keep moisture and gluten away from getting mixed with the proteins in the flour; a job originally done by the fatty ingredients in the batter.

On the downside, applesauce needs extra attention and should be gently mixed with the flour batter. If mixed in haste, the consistency of the batter will not be suitable enough for the cake to rise.

Applesauce works wonders while baking cakes, breads, brownies, muffins, and soft cookies. It eliminates the overall fat content of the dish by reducing both the oil and added sugar in the food. Thereby, making it a whole lot tastier and healthier for the entire family.

During baking, it would be better to use sauce that is not artificially sweetened, in case you can't find the same, then you'll need to reduce the quantity of sugar added to the entire recipe. All you need to do next is to replace the total amount of oil prescribed for the dish with equal measures of applesauce.

Remember to add just a few drops of oil to maintain the consistency of the batter during baking. It is important that you mix the applesauce with other liquid ingredients such as milk, egg yolks, liquid flavors, water etc and only then mix and make a well-blended batter with the dry ingredients.

Cake baking should be done at the normal temperature, similar to while using oil. The only difference being to keep a constant check on time. Do not let the batter over cook or stay partially raw.

Applesauce can be used for making some vegan dishes and a variety of eggless baking recipes. It is also used with bananas to act as a wet binder. It is not a good idea to bake with applesauce unless you're using a baking container, as the sauce tends to spread on flat surfaces and cannot retain the shape of cookies and scones, like eggs do. It also makes the dish softer and less crispy.

Replacing applesauce with oil is fast gaining popularity among weight watchers and cooking enthusiasts. There is no need for adding any extra sugar while using applesauce, because it has high quantities of fructose which makes the dessert naturally sweet.

Consider adding different spices such as cinnamon, pepper and allspice to the sauce to enhance its taste.