STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Tati · Chanel

granulated sweetner...........

Kelly · Hermes

I like stevia but it's not granulated and can be hard to work with - I use pure stevia, not the mixes, and I use like 1/16 of a teaspoon to sweeten a pitcher of kool-aid. So I've been too afraid to bake with it so far.

There is also xylitol, which is granulated and which is more natural, but you have to use a lot of it - about 1.5 cups to 1 cup of sugar - to get the same sweetness. And it kind of has a cooling effect (it's used in toothpaste, cool mint gums, etc.) so whenever I used it I went halfsies with regular sugar.

I hope that helped a little...

ETA: now that I see your "UGH and AHHH!" post I think maybe everything I said wasn't very helpful at all

-- Edited by Kelly on Tuesday 3rd of November 2009 11:20:01 AM

Boots · Gucci

Sorry, I had to laugh (went from seeing how the hunt for maple sugar went in the other post to finding out that you're now hunting for a sweetener.) This had better be some recipe, huh? wink

Anyway, I've baked with Splenda before and it was fine. They make a package just for baking. You use exactly the same amount as you would sugar. I'm not sure what you mean by "bad", though. I've never read a conclusive study that states that Splenda is bad for you health in moderate doses (like everything else, moderation is the key.)

Honestly, if I were you (and again, not knowing exactly what you're making) I'd either use the brown sugar/maple syrup substitution that website suggested or I'd use Splenda for baking.

Let us know how the recipe turns out!

ILoveChoo · Hermes

based on your other thread, I would use regular old sugar
what are you trying to make?

-- Edited by ILoveChoo on Tuesday 3rd of November 2009 05:25:59 PM

Suasoria · Chanel

ILoveChoo wrote:

based on your other thread, I would use regular old sugar
what are you trying to make?

-- Edited by ILoveChoo on Tuesday 3rd of November 2009 05:25:59 PM

Ditto. I think they're trying to say "your usual sugar or sugar substitute." I tend to use evaporated cane juice because it's less processed than white sugar. It's available at Trader Joe's and such.

Tati · Chanel

I'm trying to make chocolate peanut butter cups from the book, the Kind Diet.

so I should use regular sugar over Splenda?

btw, this book is basically about using natural ingredients and stuff! so I can sometimes have a hard time picking something I want to try and make because some of these ingredients I've never heard of! It can get fustrating....
I need to walk around the markets one day and familiarize myself with a lot of new stuff!

ILoveChoo · Hermes

yeah, I would just use regular sugar.

If you want to go with something less processed, I agree with Sausora's evaporated cane juice. IThis is sometimes also labeled as "unrefined sugar"

NCshopper · Hermes

That's Alicia Silverstone's cookbook, right? How is it?

And yeah, just use regular sugar. I think what it's meaning to say is a granulated type of sugar or sweetener instead of a liquid, like agave or syrup. I'm not sure why she feels the need to make that distinction though...

Tati · Chanel

NCshopper- yes, that's the book. I'm loving it so far. I love how she easily explains why we should eat the Kind way.

I've done only 2 of her dishes, so far. But I find I have to learn so much by what her ingredients require, but I'm SO ok with that!