Jordan Mathieu / Unsplash
By Sascha Melein
Sugar substitutes are having a moment. They let you enjoy cookies, biscuits and cakes with a clear conscience, without sacrificing the flavor you’d get from ordinary sugar. Here are the five best alternatives worth knowing.
1. Applesauce
works particularly well for replacing sugar in muffins or cakes, though you’ll need to add a little extra flour to compensate. It’s also easy to make at home: simply simmer apples in a splash of water, then purée. That makes applesauce one of the more sustainable options on this list, too.
2. Date syrup
comes packed with nutrients and even has antibacterial properties that can help curb bacterial growth. Like applesauce, it’s simple to make yourself: purée unsweetened, pitted, dried dates with water until you get a syrup, which keeps for about a week. It’s lovely for sweetening desserts, teas, or a turmeric chai latte.
Both of these alternatives call for some recipe adjustment, but other sugar substitutes swap in effortlessly — among them coconut blossom sugar, xylitol and erythritol.
3. Coconut blossom sugar
has a caramel-like flavor and can be used 1:1 in place of brown sugar. Thanks to its low glycemic index, it won’t send your insulin levels spiking the way ordinary table sugar does, which means it keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
4. Xylitol
also known as birch sugar, turns up often in dental chewing gum, since it actively supports oral health. It has the same sweetness as white sugar but significantly fewer calories. Xylitol can be used just like regular sugar, making it well suited to baking — though it’s best to stay under a daily dose of 20–30g.
5. Erythritol
is another solid substitute, prized for its very low calorie count. Its sweetness is slightly milder than sugar’s, but it can be processed the same way, which makes it a natural fit for baking.
You’ll find these sugar alternatives at well-stocked shops or online at nu3 and xucker.
12 Chocolate Cupcakes with Erythritol
FOR THE BATTER
120 g erythritol 4 eggs (medium) 110 g wheat flour (type 550) 10 g cocoa powder 50 g cream 100 g frozen raspberries
FOR THE TOPPING
80 g white chocolate 150 g double cream cheese 50 g soft butter 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
YOU’LL ALSO NEED
12-cup muffin tin 12 paper muffin liners Piping bag with a large round tip
METHOD:
BATTER: Preheat the oven to 170°C and line the muffin tin with paper liners. Grind the erythritol to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Separate the eggs, then whisk the whites in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer until frothy. Keep beating for about a minute while slowly sprinkling in the powdered erythritol. Stir in the egg yolks until fully incorporated into the whipped whites. Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture and fold in gently with a spatula. Set aside a third of the batter and stir it into the cream in a separate bowl. Gently fold the cream mixture back into the egg white mixture until you have a light, airy batter. Spoon two-thirds of it into the liners and press 3–4 raspberries into each. Top with the remaining batter. Bake in the center of the oven for 20–22 minutes. Remove, unmold, and let cool on a wire rack.
TOPPING: Meanwhile, finely chop the chocolate and melt it over a hot water bath. As soon as it starts to melt, remove from the heat and stir until fully smooth. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate in two additions, then the butter. Transfer the mixture to the piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with pistachios and chill for about 45 minutes.
Recipe from the book “Baking with Erythritol” by Nico Stanitzok / Gräfe und Unzer Verlag
