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Baking Secrets for Sugar-free Deserts

If you are used to baking with sugar, it may take a little getting used to stocking your pantry for a low-sugar or sugar-free lifestyle. Once you realize that your sweet life is not over just because you are cutting back on sugar, you will be just fine. Here are some tips to help you stock a pantry with baking supplies needed to make sugar-free desserts.

Sweetening the Pot without Sugar

The most obvious ingredient for baking sugar-free desserts is a substitute for sugar. There are a number of artificial sweeteners that are widely available, including aspartame (Equal), acesulfame-k (Sweet One), saccharin (Sweet ‘n’ Low) and sucralose (Splenda). They can be a little tricky to use in baking because they have different properties than sugar, but there are many sugar-free dessert recipes using each of them. Because each of them differs from the others in the way they react to heat and the amount of sweetening power they have, it is also important to use the artificial sweetener that is called for in the recipe. Aspartame, for instance, loses its sweetness in when it is subjected to high heat for long periods of time as it would be if you use it in cakes or cookies that are baked in the oven. Splenda, on the other hand, is stable in heat and can be used in baked recipes, but may need additional liquid.

In addition to artificial sweeteners, there are natural sweeteners that you can use for no-sugar-added desserts. These include long-established favorites such as honey, Stevia, molasses and corn syrup, but are not limited to the obvious sweeteners. Fruit juices can add sweetness and enhance flavors when used in place of water in recipes. Apple and grape juice are the sweetest, but not the only fruit juices that you can use to sweeten desserts. Try sweetening with pineapple or orange juice for a bit of tang, or pear juice for a light sweetness.

Keep a package or two of sugar free gelatin and pudding in the pantry as well. They make moist additions to cake and cookies, adding both flavor and color. Do not forget unsweetened chocolate squares, cocoa powder, and flavored extracts – the staples are vanilla, almond, rum, butter and peppermint.

Adding a Little Spice to Dessert

When your senses are not overcome with sugar, you will find that a little spiciness goes a long way. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger are the so-called “sweet spices”. They will bring out the sweetness in smaller amounts of sugar or other sweeteners and are especially flavorful when used with fruit juice or puree.

Savory spices can also add an unexpected flair to dessert. Do not be afraid to experiment a little. Chili adds an unexpected bite to strawberries, for instance, and herbs like peppermint, lavender and rosemary do a wonderful job of enhancing the flavor of ice cream and fruit sorbets.

Sugar Does More than Make Things Sweet

Keep in mind that sugar provides more than just sweetness in a lot of recipes. It can be the reason that cakes and cookies brown when they bake, aid rising and provide moisture and texture. That is why a favorite pantry staple for sugar-free cooking is baby food – pureed bananas, pears, plums or applesauce – just about any kind of baby food fruit puree will do. It will add both sweetening and moisture to cakes, muffins, breads and cupcakes along with extra nutrition.

Flaked coconut is another pantry staple that will do double duty in your sugar-free pantry. It adds sweetness and flavor to cakes and cookies, and browns nicely when sprinkled on baked goods and run under the broiler.

A jar or two of sugar free fruit spread are handy to keep in the pantry. They can be stirred into plain yogurt for a quick snack or easy dessert, or spread on pound cake instead of frosting to add flavor and extra sweetness.

Peanut butter is another staple that should be in every sugar-free pantry. It will add flavor to muffins, cookies or cakes, as well as substituting for part of the fat. Thinned with a few tablespoons of milk and stirred over low heat, it makes a quick dessert topping or sauce, and pairs very well with chocolate or bananas. Be sure to read the label carefully, since a lot of peanut butters have a surprising amount of sugar in them.

The more you cook without sugar, the easier it will be to create tasty, healthy desserts. As your taste buds – and those of your family – adjust to less sugar, you will find that other flavors come more and more to the fore. It will not be long at all before you find that you prefer desserts that are fresher and lower in sugar because they naturally taste better.

Sandy Darson is a freelance writer, who specializes in writing about cooking and weight loss techniques, sometimes discussing specific products such as Splenda. www.splendidlife.com

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Cupcake: Information for Baking at Home

Eat healthy. Avoid sweets and processed foods. Cut back on fats. Watch your carbs. Once upon a time, those words of advice were only given to dieters looking to take off some added pounds. These days, though, all the major health organizations are telling us that following these rules can make us much healthier.

Unfortunately, for those of us with a sweet tooth and those of us who love to bake, those bits of advice also seem to sound the death knell for decadent desserts. With just a little adjustment of your recipes, you can bake low sugar snacks that taste just as good as the traditional high fat, high calorie and unhealthy treats. For more resources login on to www.appetizer-collection.com. Here are some tips for baking at home with less sugar.

Basics of Baking Lighter at Home

These are the big three rules when it comes to baking healthier at home.
·    Reduce the amount of sugar used in your recipes. Unfortunately, that’s sometimes easier said than done. Some recipes depend on sugar for more than just taste in a recipe. You may have to experiment with different sugar substitutes when baking until you get it right. In general, of all the sugar substitutes on the market, Splendid granulated, which is made for baking, is most easily substituted in a one to one measure for sugar in a recipe.
·    Reduce the amount of fat used in recipes, but keep in mind that some recipes need a minimum amount of fat in order to succeed at all. The biggest trick to learn in reducing the fat content is to substitute another moist ingredient for part of the butter, oil or shortening called for in the recipe. Popular choices include fat-free sour cream, light cream cheese, orange juice or applesauce.
·    Make smaller servings more satisfying by adding fiber to recipes. Instead of chocolate, add fruit, or use whole wheat flour for part of the flour. When you increase the nutritional value of the dessert, it’s far easier to be satisfied with smaller portions – and fewer calories.

There are lots of other little tricks to enhance flavor and make low sugar baking fun.
·    Use flavor enhancers like lemon zest in fruity dishes. The tang brings out the fruit flavor and heightens the flavors of whatever ingredients you use.
·    Vanilla, butter and nut flavorings can add the taste of butter and nuts without adding the extra fats.
·    Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and nutmeg intensify flavors and enhance sweetness in a dish.
·    Experiment with spice combinations to create a fresh, new flavor.
·    Substitute strong, cold coffee for part of the liquid in chocolate recipes to bring out the chocolate flavor.
·    Top cakes and cupcakes with fruit or fruit spread, or substitute pureed fruit for frosting between layers in a cake.
·    When baking cookies using a sugar substitute, flatten each cookie slightly before baking. This will help the cookies to spread enough while baking.
·    Add a little extra vanilla when you reduce sugar in a recipe. It accentuates the sweetness.
·    If using fruit juice as a sweetener, reduce the juice to a third of its original volume by boiling over high heat. It will concentrate the flavors and the sweetness.
·    Use dried fruits in muffin and cake recipes to add a burst of sweetness in every bite. Chop the fruits into very small pieces to distribute the flavor more evenly through the batter.
·    Mashed, overripe bananas are a great shortening substitute, as is applesauce. When buying fruits, buy them individually instead of in plastic bags. The flavors are more intense when the fruit hasn’t been packaged in plastic.
·    When baking pies, try this tip: sprinkle a small amount of sugar on the pie crust before filling it with unsweetened fruit. Spray the top crust with cooking spray, then sprinkle with a little sugar. No one will ever miss the extra sugar in the filling.
·    When reducing fat and sugar in baked goods, try baby food bananas, pears, prunes, sweet potatoes or carrots. The typical addition is applesauce, but you’ll get richer, sweeter flavor from other fruits.

Low fat and low sugar recipes may not brown properly. Sugar substitutes and other sweeteners do not darken with heat in quite the same way. Here are some ways to add color to your baking when using sweeteners and less sugar.
·    A small amount of molasses provides color, as well as moisture and deep sweetness.
·    Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg on top of a cake or cupcakes before baking.
·    Use a small amount of dark brown sugar with fruits to add intense color.
·    When baking with sugar substitutes and sweeteners, reduce the baking time. Get your cookies and brownies out of the oven before the look done. They’ll continue cooking while they cool.

Baking with Less Sugar

Sugar substitutes such as: Splendid Sugar Blend is blends of a sugar substitute that incorporate some sugar for better baking. If you can’t use sugar substitutes, here are some other suggestions for reducing the sugar in your recipes.
·    Add dried fruit puree in soft chewy cookies to replace some of the sugar and some of the fat.
·    You can reduce the sugar by up to a third in most drop cookie recipes without appreciably affecting the recipe.
·    Use chopped dried fruits instead of candied fruit peels in holiday recipes.

www.blueribbon-recipes.com
www.100cookingtips.

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Top 10 Easy Cake Recipes (some are usable for cupcakes too)

Making a cake is an excellent way to celebrate a birthday, holiday, or special occasion. While having a slice of cake is a fantastic way to finish off a meal, for many people it can be too complicated or time consuming to make one. Luckily, there are many easy cake recipes that anyone can make.

Warm Caramel Apple Cake
This cake is a delicious apple tasting upside down cake that is topped off with an apple caramel frosting. I love making this cake in cool autumn nights when the leaves are just starting to change.

Pirate Cake
I’ve made this cake a couple of times for my kids summer birthday party. This is an easy cake recipe made of simple cake products, but is shaped and designed to look just like a pirate!

Fruity Celebration Cake
This is a great birthday cake to make in the summer. This easy to make cake uses basic cake products, but then is topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Raspberry Poke Cake
For the sweet raspberry lovers, nothing beats this simple to make cake. It’s a beautiful and delicious cake which is an excellent addition to any autumn dinner party.

Ultimate 24 Carat Cake
This super moist cake recipe is made of basic cake ingredients, but is the most delicious carrot cake that you will ever have. Enjoying this cake in the winter is absolutely wonderful.

Snowman Coconut Cake
I love to make this cake in the winter time. This cake can have any cake product base that you desire, such as chocolate, butter or sponge; but it is shaped like a snowman and is topped with coconut shreds.

Coconut Lemon Cake
For lovers of a sweets and tart cake, nothing beats coconut lemon cake. This cake is made from a lemon cake base and topped with whipped cream and coconut shreds.

Easy Red Velvet Cake
An absolute classic recipe that can be made in no time whatsoever is the Red Velvet Cake. This cake is perfect for all occasions and can be fashionably served all year round.

Strawberry Cream Cupcakes
This fun summer time cake recipe requires simple cake products and creaming soda. The result is a fun and vibrant strawberry and cream cake that is topped with whipped topping and fresh strawberries.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake
An amazing cake to serve a loved one on Valentine’s Day is chocolate covered strawberry cake. This cake takes that classic element of a chocolate covered strawberry and converts it into a delicious cake.

The article is written by Chelsi Woolz who is a creator of different sweets and cakes. Find out how to celebrate special occasions all throughout the year with her top 10 easy cake recipes.

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Lighten Up Any Cupcake Recipe With These Healthy Cooking Tips

by Pans Cookware Liners

Lighten Up Any Cupcake Recipe With These Healthy Cooking Tips According to the media, millions of Americans are overweight. There are many diet plans aimed at helping people lose weight, but they all focus on an important fact–to lose weight, a person needs to decrease calories consumed. Staying on a diet plan can be a [...]

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