First experience with Splenda

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AllenOK

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I have two diabetics in the family. I've been meaning to do this for awhile now. I finally got around to it tonight. The package says that Splenda equals table sugar spoon for spoon. Well, here's the recipe I make at home:

Fudge Brownies
Yields: 16 brownies

½ c butter or margarine
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
¾ c flour
½ c chopped walnuts or pecans

Grease an 8x8x2” baking pan. Melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat, stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, beat lightly just till blended. Stir in flour and nuts. Spread batter in pan. Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Cool. Cut into squares.


My notes as soon as I mixed the batter up, I noticed the Splenda didn't dissolve as well as sugar does. But then, I followed recipe instructions and melted the margarine and chocolate, then added the Splenda. Margarine and chocolate are fat-based, so I'm thinking that's why it didn't dissolve. Once I added the vanilla, it started dissolving right away. Of course, when I was done mixing the batter, it still wasn't the same texture as the brownie batter I'm used to making. I'll let you all know the outcome in 18 minutes.
 
Major FLOP!

When I pulled it out of the oven, it was deep-fried brownie crust. It doesn't taste very good, and the texture is horrid.

I checked at www.splenda.com and sure enough, it says that Splenda is best where the sugar is just for sweetening. When sugar is used for more than sweetening, like moisture retention, texture, etc., Splenda may not be the best choice.

I'm going to chalk this one up to experience, for what NOT to use Splenda for. However, I'm thinking I may use some for some apple topping, and make some funnel cakes :chef:
 
I also tried to make brownies with Splenda. Yuck!! I did not like the taste and the texture was horrible. I also chalked mine up to experience. I would rather deal with making the brownies with regular sugar and freezing them and just have a brownie here and there.
 
Allen, I used Splenda in my Brunn Butter Cake a while back and for the first time it was a major horrid flop! I wasn't sure if it was the Splenda or my new electric oven. I haven't done it again after that traumatic experience. But after your post I'm convinced the culprit was the Splenda.
 
I haven't tried it for baking yet, but you might find some recipes that work at their website. I think it is just www.splenda.com. They have some recipes that they have tested. I do know that if you use it for drinks, such as Kool-Aid, use less than it calls for. Instead of a cup, I use a rounded half cup and it works fine.

:) Barbara
 
Ok boys and girls, I'm here to help you out. I've been using Splenda for a few years now and have considerable experience with the stuff. It is great for cakes, quickbreads, a sprinkled sweetener such as you'd put over doughnuts, for use in sauces, hot cocoa, home made ice-cream, for sweetening dairy products, as in making a pudding, etc.

It is worthless where sugar provides body and/or texture. You can't make syrup with it, it doesn't turn into caramel, it won't add volume to a sponge cake. You can't melt it, add milk, and dip apples in it either. It's not a great substitute for sugar in jams and jellies, at least not without adding extra pectin or gums to replace sugar's texture. I also wouldn't use Splenda to make a glaze, or in icings or frostings.

Splenda is a sweetening product only. And as such, it works quite well. But where the body and texture of sugar is required, the only substitutes that are available fall under the sugar alcohol category. The problem with sugar alcohols is that if you eat much of them, you will be running to the bathroom much more fequently than you would like. They have a fairly strong laxative effect. :glare:

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

Hope this helps in the cooking dept.
 
Goodweed of the North said:
It is worthless where sugar provides body and/or texture. You can't make syrup with it, it doesn't turn into caramel, it won't add volume to a sponge cake. You can't melt it, add milk, and dip apples in it either.

I take it this means any Fudge will have to be made the old-fashioned way?
 
allen,
I have diabetes, and spent a fortune on cookbooks for diabetics...Waste of time and money in my eyes, the recipes were horrid, so I learned to weigh and measure, and I eat what everyone else does just less of some things and more of others...It is well worth the effort. Then I discovered that hey sugar is a CARB!!! So, I do carb trade off which works for me, I have real sugar, no sweetners just by exchanging carbs..I do have the advantage of a med that forces my body to use the insulin that I make and that helps so much. But, diabetics need not give up any of their favorite foods, you just learn to juggle thing around..The diabetic hbaic test wants us at a 6, I come in at 4-1/2 to 5 everytime...My daily blood glucose readings are always in the normal range and that makes it easy to stick with testing and eating right..I didn't mean to but in, but, you can make that fudge and they can have a piece, not a huge piece, but a normal sized piece, IF they cut way down on carbs at dinner and then test then have that treat.
kadesma:)
I would find a good endo and discuss the carb options, but I can tell you it works for me.
 
I've noticed that Splenda leaves less of an aftertaste if you use it in desserts with lemon or citrus. I guess the citrus masks the Splenda's tartness or something.
 
Was this regular Splenda or the Splenda for baking? However, I think the Splenda for baking contains sugar.
 
Allen, was at Barnes & Noble the other night, and saw a book on cooking with Splenda - you might want to search that out. Or - have you checked the SPlenda site?
 
Was the book you saw written by Graham Kerr? I've seen his book, and have been meaning to get it, but haven't gotten a round to it yet.

Yes, I have been to the Splenda website. In fact, my MIL just made an apple pie a couple days ago using Splenda. She couldn't find my measuring spoons, or measuring cups, so she "eyeballed" everything. Luckily, she was using a store-bought crust. It wasn't bad. Could have used some more Splenda, and cinnamon, but that's a personal taste issue. She didn't have enough Granny Smith apples, and used some Red Delicious apples to finish it off with.

I have the next two days off. I might just go and get the stuff I need to make another one and see if I can perfect it.
 
I'm sorry, Allen - just one of those things I saw out of the corner of my eye, and didn't explore it. ? do a search at the B&N website?
 

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