Cooking wth Splenda

[VeraBlue]

I've been exercising like a fiend lately...and eating a diet low in fat and sugar and high in vegetables, fruits and lean proteins. Since July 9th, I've dropped close to 15 pounds. Great for me.

I don't feel deprived since I'm seeing such nice results, but I want a sweet treat from time to time. Sure, I do the sugar free/fat free jello, and the 100 calorie pack cookies...but, I'm a chef. I like to bake. I miss that.

Anyone have any input on actually baking with spenda? I made a lemon angel food cake this morning with 10 egg whites, a cup of cake flour, lemon zest and while the recipe called for a cup and a half of sugar, I used a cup and a half of splenda. The cake didn't rise. It seems soft enough, but not as airy as your typical angel food cake, which rises to the top and over.

Had I used sugar, 1/14 of the cake would have had 130 cals, no fat, 3 grams of protein and I think 22 grams of sugar. If it tastes fine (and how could it not?) I may be willing to overlook height for diminished calories and sugar grams.

Now, if this was a muffin, I'd have been disappointed. I like a muffin that has a bit of height.

 

[Barb L.]

No experience here - have you tried googling -baking with Spenda ? Love my Google !

 

[VeraBlue]

No experience here - have you tried googling -baking with Spenda ? Love my Google !

Yes, splenda has a whole website for that sort of thing. There were quite a bit of recipes, but not all that many were low fat. They seem more geared to diabetes than low fat.
Unfortunately, the low fat websites let you use sugar!

Cannot these people understand that I want to consume air and be fine! hehe.

By the way, my plan is to have my slice of cake (and eat it, too!) with fresh blueberries and fat free/sugar free cool whip (a couple of tablespoons). I'll be getting a fat free dessert, no refined sugars,(while splenda may not be a refined sugar, I'm not pleased that it's natural sugar that's been altered) fresh berries and a bit of protein. That makes me very happy.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Hey Miss (Thin) VeraBlue...

We've tried baking with splenda with not very good results! So I treat myself at least once a week to what ever I want. You have done great since July 9th. So go ahead and have that decadnent chocolate whatcha-my-call-it!!!!
You deserve it!! Caution!!! Only 1 smalll piece however. Then back to the grind!!

Have some Fun and.........

Enjoy!!

 

[VeraBlue]

My darling Uncle
It's always so nice to hear from you!

 

[Uncle Bob]

My Dear Miss Blue.
It is always good to be heard!

 

[licia]

Some of the recipes I've seen using Splenda uses half splenda and half sugar. I saw one just this week that I want to make when I find the recipe again. That may make a difference in whether or not something rises properly (and also the taste). The pears on the tree at the farm are ripe enough to make pies and cobblers so I plan to experiment with splenda this week while we are there.

 

[kadesma]

I think splenda makes a special one (splenda) to use for baking..Look into it as it is supposed to make the recipe behave as reg. sugar
kadesma

 

[KitchenSally]

I have the Splenda that comes in a box and tried it in a cheesecake last weekend. It turned out great!! I have heard that Splenda does not do so well at high temperatures. For the cheesecake the oven was never higher than 300. Not sure if thats what made the differnce?

 

[bandonjan]

I have used Splenda for cheesecakes and they turned
out fine also. When I tried it for quick breads, it was
passable. It doesn't brown like sugar and even though
you used the same amount as sugar, is not as sweet.
The overall flavor is affected. I made lemon curd with
it once and it tasted ok the day I made it but seemed
to loose its sweetness over the next couple of days.
The color was different also, not as opaque as you get
with sugar, it didn't "melt" as well as the sugar one.
When I do cookies, I will substitute Splenda for the
white sugar and continue to use the real brown sugar.
It seems to help with browning and flavor.

 

[Caine]

Having lived with a type II diabetic for three years, I have successfully replaced sugar with Splenda many, many times in both my cooking and my baking. One thing I discovered is, always sift the Splenda in with the dry ingredients, don't beat it into the eggs. Splenda has a tendancy to cause an undesired chemical reaction with the eggs and make the mixture curdle.

 

[Healthy Gourmet]

Splenda has a "Baking Blend" that is hafl sugar and half Splenda. The thing is, you only use half of the amount of sugar called for in the recipe. So if it calls for a cup of sugar, only use a half cup of the Spelnda blend. Splenda also has a Brown Sugar. Same thing, only use half the amount. The brown sugar is actually better tasting than any brown sugar I have ever tasted.

I use both all of the time. Most of the products like Splenda, I Can't Believe Its Not Butter, etc, do have web sites with a listing of how to cook or bake with their products. I use my own recipes and just make the substitiutions according to what their reccomendation is. I make a killer Chocolate Chip cookie as well as Brownies and my friends and family say they are the best ever, both made with Splenda sugars and I Can't Believe Its Not Butter. They work well for pastries also, I made a raspberry tart with a pastry crust the other night and my company said it was one of the richest, flakiest crusts they ever ate. (Imagine, it was low fat!)

 

[Treklady]

I'm with Uncle Bob on this one blue. Those who are watching their weight ( And hopefluuy watching it go bye-bye ), are, to me, deserving of a treat, and I don't mean the fat free jello kind. I mean an actual slice of pie, piece of cheesecake, or what have you.

That is not to mean that anyone should sit down and devour an entire cake or pie. But there is more thna one study to prove that complete deprevation is the worst thing you can do to yourself and self esteem.

I also relaize that there are some poeple that can just have one...like the Lay's (No pun intended what-so-ever). But what a treat to share a dessert with ones partner, lover, husband, wife, or someone close to you. I share with my daughter. So go ahead, have that slice of whatever, just leav some for the rest of us.

 

[Healthy Gourmet]

I agree, however, if it looks and tastes like the real thing, without all of the fat, cholestrol, etc., why choose the real thing. I guess I have been cooking and teaching cooking this way for so long that it is my way of life now.

My husband and friends know that I choose (now both as a preference as health reasons) to cook and eat this way and it is so amazing when someone new tries something I cook and they have no idea that it is lowfat, low cholestrol, low sodium and low sugar. What could be better??? Just good health!

 

[VeraBlue]

Some of the recipes I've seen using Splenda uses half splenda and half sugar. I saw one just this week that I want to make when I find the recipe again. That may make a difference in whether or not something rises properly (and also the taste). The pears on the tree at the farm are ripe enough to make pies and cobblers so I plan to experiment with splenda this week while we are there.

On the package big enough to scoop from, it actually says that splenda works best when used strictly for sweeting, like for pies and cobblers and beverages. I suggests adding powdered milk when using it for other purposes. The cake I made actually tastes wonderful. It's soft, like an angel food cake, but not as high. I bet it would work wonderfully with your pear pie.

 

[VeraBlue]

I think splenda makes a special one (splenda) to use for baking..Look into it as it is supposed to make the recipe behave as reg. sugar
kadesma

It's no different from the packets or small box. It just comes in a large container that is big enough to fit a measure scoop into. I have that package.

 

[VeraBlue]

I'm with Uncle Bob on this one blue. Those who are watching their weight ( And hopefluuy watching it go bye-bye ), are, to me, deserving of a treat, and I don't mean the fat free jello kind. I mean an actual slice of pie, piece of cheesecake, or what have you.

That is not to mean that anyone should sit down and devour an entire cake or pie. But there is more thna one study to prove that complete deprevation is the worst thing you can do to yourself and self esteem.

I also relaize that there are some poeple that can just have one...like the Lay's (No pun intended what-so-ever). But what a treat to share a dessert with ones partner, lover, husband, wife, or someone close to you. I share with my daughter. So go ahead, have that slice of whatever, just leav some for the rest of us.

No one ever has to twist my arm to treat myself!!! I don't prefer lo fat, or sugar free anything. I'd rather have the real mccoy, in moderation. But, during the week, when I would like something sweet, and it fits nicely into the program I'd following, I'll do my best to create something which tastes like a treat, but doesn't break the budget.

We're going on vacation again, next week.....and I have every intention of enjoying the restaurants to the fullest. Now breakfast and lunch....fruit, yogurts, vegetables, rice cakes.

 

[Green Lady]

Splenda is a toxin, not as bad as nutrasweet, but still a toxin. Why don't you investigate baking with stevia instead? Stevia is natural, comes from a plant.

There are some brands that are quite good. Some of the earlier brands had an aftertaste, I don't know why. The new brands are better. It can be purchased in powder or liquid form. A little stevia goes a long way as it is more potent tastewise than sugar.

Stevia has a low glycemic index and can successfully be used by diabetics.

 

[foodstorm]

I think splenda makes a special one (splenda) to use for baking..Look into it as it is supposed to make the recipe behave as reg. sugar
kadesma

Yes, there is a "Sugar Blend for Baking" and a "Brown Sugar Blend for Baking"

 

[foodstorm]

Splenda is a toxin, not as bad as nutrasweet, but still a toxin. Why don't you investigate baking with stevia instead? Stevia is natural, comes from a plant.

There are some brands that are quite good. Some of the earlier brands had an aftertaste, I don't know why. The new brands are better. It can be purchased in powder or liquid form. A little stevia goes a long way as it is more potent tastewise than sugar.

Stevia has a low glycemic index and can successfully be used by diabetics.

There are some contraindications for using stevia if you take meds for high blood pressure, for example. So I agree, research it!