artificial sweetners for baking?

acpgee
acpgee Posts: 7,590 Member
in Recipes
Has anyone had success using artificial sweetners for baking? If so, what type of baked goods and which brand/type of sweetner?

Most of my baking involves using using up leftover egg whites so almond or coconut macaroons. I would be particularly interested if anyone has made sugar free meringues or macaroons with success. For me, getting the right texture is important. Brittle on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I've baked with Splenda, but I've never substituted 100%. I've used it in oatmeal cookies and banana bread. I've baked a pumpkin pie or two but never tried meringues. The texture has been fine, but the baked goods do brown a little faster.

    I typically swap out 50% of the granulated sugar for Splenda. There's no point in buying Splenda brown sugar since it's really a combination of regular brown sugar and Splenda. Dark brown sugar gives more flavor than light. That can help.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    Likewise, I’ve used a blend of caster sugar with stevia (it’s a Silver Spoon product, which is a British Sugar brand, I think). This cuts the calories by about a third I think and it works just fine for meringue and macaron.

    I’ve not tried a full stevia replacement because I don’t feel confident in figuring out the lack of bulk since you need so little to provide the sweetness. Baking is so much about the chemistry between ingredients that I’m reluctant to mess with stuff too much
  • GrizzledSquirrel
    GrizzledSquirrel Posts: 120 Member
    I don’t like the aftertaste of any artificial sweeteners. Have tried, but just can’t get on with them. I just try and reduce the sugar I use.
    Another idea for egg whites other than meringues: cheats souffles - you use ready made custard instead of faffing about with making creme pate from scratch. Needs minimal additional sugar in the mix particularly if you add a dollop of any stewed fruit in the bottom of your ramekin before adding the egg whites. Oh and don’t forget a spoonful of liquor in the top just before eating (e.g cointreau). Bliss!
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    I use Swerve or erythritol powder for meringues and macaron sandwich cookie halves with cream of tartar.

    Baking it is tricky for me given my climate. I have found baking anything keto'ish needs a lower heat setting. 20-25 minutes on 250°F, then reduce and bake at 200°F. Once done, leave them in there to complete their baking ( which is odd - I know), for another hour akin to using the oven to make your own yoghurt.

    You will achieve the crispy exterior and chewy center.

    * I prefer monkfruit, only it gooped up and looked weird.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    edited September 2019
    Monkfruit, I use half/half measures with erythritol powder for cakes, loaves, muffins, slices & spreading cookies. I don't like it too sweet, so I had been adjusting to my palate@ 1/4 cup for a cake batch for example. You would need to taste. >>> bake a test batch >> taste and adjust, until you like it.

  • bmeadows380
    bmeadows380 Posts: 2,981 Member
    I've had success using 100% splenda in pies, cakes, and cookies and the bulking wasn't really an issue since the packaging comes 1:1. I haven't tried making macaroons, but I felt that the splenda did an okay job with meringue for a lemon pie. Certainly not as good as regular sugar, but I did feel that it was acceptable. Definitely was lower in height.

    From what I'm finding, sugar acts as a stablizer for the egg whites in meringue so it holds its shape until the egg whites set. One website I found said use no less than 2 Tbsp of sugar per egg white. So you could try using the minimum sugar in the recipe and then substitute splenda or your sweetener in for the rest. For instance: Betty Crocker's Coconut-Almond Macaroons recipe calls for 3 egg whites and 3/4 cup sugar; so you could use 6 Tbsp of regular sugar, then 1/2 cup of splenda (more or less to taste) to bring it up to the desired sweetness level.

    When I put the Betty Crocker recipe into MFP's recipe calculator with the 6 Tbsp sugar, a whole package of unsweetened coconut flakes, leave out the cherries, and estimate 2 dozen cookies, I can get it down to 54 calories per cookie and 3g sugar which is 20% less calories and 50% less sugar than the regular recipe.

    I'd say experiment and see what you get!
  • sytchequeen
    sytchequeen Posts: 526 Member
    edited September 2019
    I use erythritol in most things, unless I need something that will crystallize, in which case I find inulin is the only thing that works (it is more expensive though)
  • brian4561
    brian4561 Posts: 1 Member
    https://t.ly/8PlLj
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,590 Member
    Thanks for the tips. Have bought monkfruit and Splenda. Tried making both almond and coconut macaroons with half sugar and half Splenda and am happy with the result. Will try the other sweeteners in turn.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,590 Member
    I've tried the monkfruit now too for coconut macaroons. Good too. I don't notice any difference between sweeteners though I was disappointed in performance of my new silicon baking mats. Doesn't conduct as much heat at silicon baking paper so cookie bottoms didn't crisp up.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,940 Member
    I agree about the silicon baking mats, I’ve been disappointed in mine too. To the point that I’ve shoved them in the cupboard and gone back to paper. I’ve not found them much use for anything! Cookies overspread due to the slow heat conduction and nothing crisps as it should.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,590 Member
    Next time I bake macaroons I will experiment with my silicon mesh. I own quite a lot of the stuff that is sold for preventing small items such as asparagus and shrimp from falling between BBQ grates. I cut them down to size with scissors to line my air fryer, dehydrator, and bamboo steamer baskets because nothing sticks to that stuff.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    Next time I bake macaroons I will experiment with my silicon mesh. I own quite a lot of the stuff that is sold for preventing small items such as asparagus and shrimp from falling between BBQ grates. I cut them down to size with scissors to line my air fryer, dehydrator, and bamboo steamer baskets because nothing sticks to that stuff.

    💛This

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