Using sweeteners in baking

A healthier lifestyle has become more a part of life for many than just a trend and many people are cutting sugar out of their diet. However, as we all know, sugar plays an extremely important role in baking and adds to the consistency and texture of the baked product.

Sweeteners such as sucralose and stevia are 600 times sweeter than granulated cane sugar, and they contain 0 to 5 calories per 1 g serving. Sucralose is a kilojoule-free sugar substitute that is made from sugar and tastes like sugar. Although it is derived from sugar, it is not recognised by the body as a sugar and is not broken down by the body to provide energy. When used in moderation, both stevia and sucralose are a great way to help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

SUGAlite is the only product available in South Africa which offers the same baking qualities as sugar and less than half the kilojoules of sugar.

Commonly, sweeteners were only used to sweeten cold or warm beverages but because of their health benefits, people have taken to using them in baking. This helps bring a healthy element to some cakes and desserts without compromising their sweetness.

Sugar lends a sweet taste to baked goods but it also adds texture, colour, depth and thickness. Sugar helps cookies and cakes bake up high, light and tender, with an airy, porous texture. As much as it possible to use sweeteners in baking, different sweeteners have different qualities. Therefore, it is important to know how to use them appropriately.

Replacing sugar entirely with artificial sweeteners may produce a product that is tough, flat, and dry, as well as gray in colour. Most artificial sweeteners only make a recipe sweet. Recipes that usually do well with sugar substitutes include beverages, frozen desserts, pie fillings, sauces, and puddings. Cakes, cookies, and meringues depend on large amounts of sugar for more of their finished properties which makes it almost impossible to replace sugar completely from them.