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Splenda?

post #1 of 18
1/5/03 at 12:05pm
Thread Starter 
Came across this product the other day and was surprised that I found it o.k. to use in my coffee. I have always been repulsed by all other sugar substitutes and am perplexed about the reasonably good taste of this one. There has to be a catch. I wondered it anyone has tried this in baking or anything.
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post #2 of 18
1/5/03 at 12:19pm
I certainly have used it, for about a year. It comes in packets and pourable forms. Both do contain sugars (dextrose and maltodextrin) so are technically sugar, but in small amounts it's not metabolized that way. The rest is sucralose. I read somewhere it's "left-handed" sugar, with molecules arranged differently from regular sucrose, so your body doesn't metabolize more then a trace amount. It's approved for diabetic use.

Used in large quantities- as by the cupful for recipes- it does contain carbohydrates; I think it's 24 carbs per cup. Since it's measured cup for cup like sugar, that would be a huge portion of whatever you've made with it. Some low-carbers count 1 carb per packet; others don't count it at all. It's now available at Sam's Club in 700-packet boxes.

If you want some recipes, let me know. I've used it for a low-carb lemon pie and for pumpkin pie/custard, too.

Here's their site: http://splenda.com/.
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post #3 of 18
1/16/03 at 9:36am
Thread Starter 
Thanks Mezz, I did check out that site and was surprised by the number of products that use it.

Here's a recipe question then, one that I have no experience with:
Does it work for sobet and gelato? Do you like it?

If you have an answer for that than how about using skim milk in ice cream? Does it work? Do you like it?

Thanks!
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post #4 of 18
1/16/03 at 6:11pm
I have not used it in frozen products, only baked and cooked products. If you were making ice milk with it, be sure to dissolve it well as you are cooking the custard. The pourable stuff is a bit coarser than the stuff in packets.

If you are making sorbet, don't you need to make a syrup with the fruit juice and sugar for it to work? Doesn't the sugar do something to the texture?

Ah, gelato... if I were going to eat gelato, I'd bit the bullet and eat the real thing- assuming its' GOOD gelato! :lips:
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post #5 of 18
1/17/03 at 10:08am
What's the difference between gelato and ice-cream? Is gelato defined as more Italian in style as opposed to (for example) Ben and Jerry's?
:confused: I will never get the hang of American culinary terms!
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post #6 of 18
1/17/03 at 12:23pm
Thread Starter 
:lips:
Well, I don't want to open a can of worms but I would generally define gelato as being actually MORE like Ben & Jerry's. It tends to be more dense, uses more egg yolk, less air etc. Most Ice Cream in America used to be this fluffy stuff you would buy by the gallon. Now we have Hagaan Daz, B&J etc. I think it's safe to use the terms interchangeably. When I say gelato, I guess I'm just thinking of a high quality product with good ingredients. I would make it in my restaurant with lots of care and in small batches so I just made that association. Plus, here in Brooklyn, it's a pretty common term;)

But REALLY what I'm going after is this:
I am trying to come up with some low-fat, non-sugar, i.e. low carb, low calorie desserts. Now I realize this is probably expecting too much, but since I've discovered Splenda, I've been inspired.

Now while I've made "ice cream" and sorbet (used to be known as sherbert?), of course it never occured to me to make something that wasn't loaded with only the finest fat and calories in a restaurant setting.

I've toyed around with granitas, ices, etc. Shouldn't it be possible to make something similar ( and let's say that using a few egg yolks is permisable) using skim milk and Splenda? Throw a few sheets of gelatin in?

I seem to recall making a creme brule with milk and while it was light, it was tasty.
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post #7 of 18
1/18/03 at 8:29am
I may have some recipes in my cookbook shelf (I can check if you like)... but Bryanna Clark Grogan has posted some tofu/soy ice "creams" on her board at Vegsource (http://www.vegsource.com/talk/beginner/index.html). (In my experience, she is always very happy to repost huge, comprehensive files of recipes and info on request.) She has also made some soy-free variations, mostly using almonds and other nuts.

Anyhoo, playing around with these and some Splenda (or maybe some stevia, which I personally prefer) might be even more fruitful than the skim-dairy route. Silken tofu makes a lovely creamy base, with much more natural "richness" (or illusion of same) than trying to lower traditional recipes. As for nut stuff, it's higher in fat, of course, BUT it's all, as we're told, "heart healthy"!
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post #8 of 18
1/18/03 at 9:14am
Thread Starter 
:)
Ahh, you canucks always thinkin' outside the box. My GF is from Vancouver, but she never told me about stevia before.

Now that I checked that link, I remember coming across it before, but I thought it seemed a little whacky.

Do you like it?

Anyway, thanks for the link, just what I was looking for. I totally forgot about tofu. And nuts definitely are not a problem! :)
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post #9 of 18
1/18/03 at 9:40am
Of the main Vegsource page, some of it is whacky, VERY whacky (Go have a look in the Raw Foods section, or the wild fanatical McDougallers, or the Vegan Issues boards, for that). Of the posters, of course, they cover the spectrum from VegFreaks who won't own pets ("animal slavery") to cruise-throughers like me, who still eat some dairy and even the occasional bit of tuna, but don't mention it over there. ;) So for the site as a whole, mileage varies widely.

However, Grogan herself is a very practical, down-to-earth woman, AND she tests and messes with all her recipes constantly. I have a lot of her cookbooks, have had great success with her recipes, and trust her foodsense.
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post #10 of 18
1/18/03 at 1:32pm
Thread Starter 
I think your description is very accurate,

also, what I meant to say is do you really like the stevia and how do you use it?
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post #11 of 18
1/21/03 at 8:41pm
Oh, c'mon, how is a natural herb that's been in use for a thousand years or so any wackier than some crunched and denatured lab molecule? :lips:

I do like stevia. It has a bit of an aftertaste, true, but I've found that to be the case with ALL non-sugar sweeteners, including Splenda (and even some sugary ones... brown rice syrup, f'rinstance, of which I am very fond). Some kinds have more of an aftertaste than others, so I'd recommend tasting first. I like a liquid by a company called Now, but I don't know how widely it's available, and I generally find the taste more pronounced in the dry forms.

There are a couple books about cooking/baking with it, but I've never tried that; I just use it in drinks and things. Apparently baking can be tricky. It would probably be fine in something frozen.
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post #12 of 18
1/22/03 at 10:25pm
I found that splenda worked fine in sorbets but the fruit took longer to macerate. Just be patient.

For baking, it takes a bit of practice and I generally substitute it between 2/3 to 1 and 3/4 to 1 rather than the 1 to 1 claimed by splenda. I don't care for it in cookies but want to experiement with replacing part of the sugars with it. I also think there is a bit of an aftertaste in lightly flavored products, such as plain cheesecake. Oddly, a little strawberries macerated in splenda on top take away the aftertaste of the cheesecake.
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post #13 of 18
1/23/03 at 6:12pm
Nice to see you Nancy! :)

Hope you are doing well. Are you out of the hospital and back on your feet?
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post #14 of 18
1/23/03 at 7:19pm
I'll chime in here. I've come across SomerSweet (here's the thread: http://www.cheftalkcafe.com/forums/s...&threadid=9299) that's supposedly better for you than Splenda or stevia (both sucralose based).

I'll be experimenting this weekend, but according to what I've read, you bake with it just like sugar. You can even caramelize it. It claims to be 5x the strength of regular sugar.

I'll let you know how it works. I plan to try a creme brulee and a caramel sauce. My fingers are crossed since my wife's putting us on the SomerSize diet. :cry:
Kevin
www.sweetestobsession.com
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post #15 of 18
1/24/03 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
:)
Well, you all bring up interesting points,
I think experimenting is the key.

So Nancya, you find sorbet made with splenda is pretty good?
I don't want to be too picky here, I'm just intrigued with any product that has "healthful" benefits without sacrificing flavor.

Kthull, I am intersted in this product, though, I have to admit, anything with suzanne sommers name attached to it would turn me off. Then again, I just got a George Foreman rotisserie.:)

Let me know what you find out.
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post #16 of 18
1/24/03 at 8:49pm
Well, so far so good. I made a caramel sauce tonight with the somersweet and it actually lives up to its promise. It caramelized nicely, though it took considerably longer than with regular sugar. And it had to be cooked down quite a bit after adding the cream.

Incidentally, following the recipe in the book that came with it, all you'd get is a caramel cream. Thankfully, I've made my fair share of caramel sauces.

Cheesecake is in the oven now, so I'll let you know tomorrow how that turns out.
Kevin
www.sweetestobsession.com
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post #17 of 18
1/27/03 at 9:12pm
Hi Isabelle...nice to see you to. No, I'm still in the hospital...12 weeks as of today. But not much longer...they are sticking me in a nursing home until I finish healing so I can have surgery again. And the truth is, I damned depressed about it. But...I will try to regain my positive attitude. Anyone have a job (with great insurance) for a virtually untrained foodie?

Chefx1 - yes, sorbet worked fine for me. I made strawberry sorbet with splenda with excellent results. Of course, I don't put much sugar in strawberry sorbet anyway. But try it in some things and see if you like it. You're only out a few bucks if you don't.

N
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post #18 of 18
1/29/03 at 4:03pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the tip Nancya,

I don't like my sorbet very sweet anyway, and I have noticed that using less than a 1:1 ratio works best. I'm going to try it in some banana bread and carrot cake to see if it tastes much different.

Good luck in your nursing home and upcoming surgery. Keep that postive attitude, it always works:)

And when I find a job, I'll make sure and save a space for you!

Good Luck!
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