Splenda?

[HeavenLeigh]

Has anyone used the sugar substitute sweetner Splenda for baking, sweetening tea, etc....? Does it taste like sugar and good in cakes/pies?

[meliz]

I've tried a few things... and it does work nicely. It is ALMOST as good as sugar.:) But there are some diffs between it and sugar... check out this page, it tells you some of them and some helpful hints. http://www.splenda.com/page.jhtml?id=splenda/tips/main.inc

I rather like Equal cause you use it in the same ratio as sugar which is convenient...
http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/bl010598b.htm

And if you want a SUPER tastey SF dessert, try this:
Make a Graham cracker Base (using sugar or a sub)
Dissolve 1 large or two small pks of s/f jello in 1 cup boiling water
blend in two pks of cream cheese (can use fat free if u want), then add 1 litre cool whip (can use the ultra lowfat version even). Blen this all up... and poor onto base and chill for a few hours. It's delish!

[heather6773]

I have a co-worker that has diabetes and she uses Splenda. She uses the one for baking...I guess there are packets just for using in say coffee and then baking Splenda.But she made us cookies that tasted like chocolate chip(minus the chips) cookies but with raisins. They were so chewy and yum yum.:lick: none of us knew it was Splenda sweetened. I ususally can tell. I don't like nutrasweet or equal myself. But I guess if I needed to use it I would pick Splenda.JMO

[FarmGirl]

I use splenda - and I really like it. I don't think there is too much difference.

A couple of years ago my mom and I did a secret taste test at a family get-together - my family is well known to hate sugar subs "cause they taste awful!". So, we cut up two big bowls of strawberries, and sweetened one bowl with sugar and one with Spenda. At the end of the day, everyone agreed that they liked the spenda strawberries best.

My hubby loves spenda also - and not because its sugar free or anything like that - the knucklehead like its better because things taste sweeter. :rolleyes: He has a big sweet tooth.

[Csara]

I use it in coffee, unless I am using the FF hazlenut flavored creamer from Carnation...b/c then sweetener is not necessary. ;)

[HeavenLeigh]

I'm making tea w/ splenda right now. I tasted the raw splenda :lick:, better than raw sugar if ya ask me. I hope it's good!!

Here's a recipe I found that sounds tastey at www.splenda.com they have tons of recipes!



Chilled Shrimp and Jicama Soup with Basil


Makes: 8 servings
Preparation Time: 20 min.
Chill Time: 30 min.



2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 pound jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 1 3/4 cups)
2 tablespoons SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granular
2 teaspoons salt

8 ounces small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons olive oil

2 1/2 cups 2 % reduced fat milk
2 1/2 cups low fat sour cream
1/2 cup chopped basil
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch by 1 inch strips
1 medium yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled and cut into 1/4 by 1 inch strips




PUREE the cucumbers with the balsamic vinegar in a food processor for about one minute or until smooth. Pour cucumber puree into a large bowl. Add SPLENDA® Granular and salt. Stir well. Add jicama and stir.
PLACE the shrimp in a medium bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the cayenne pepper. In a large skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil until lightly smoking. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp and set aside.
SPOON the sour cream into a large bowl. Add the milk slowly while blending with a wire whisk. Add the cucumber and jicama mixture, shrimp, basil, and the roasted peppers and combine. Chill thoroughly and serve.




Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size 1/8th recipe

Total Calories 280

Calories from fat 150

Total fat 16 g

Saturated fat 9 g

Cholesterol 105 mg

Sodium 640 mg

Total Carbohydrate 19 g

Dietary Fiber 3 g

Sugars 8 g

Protein 15 g


Exchanges Per Serving: 1 Lean Meat, 3 Fats, 1 Starch, 1 Vegetable

[Sydneyp]

We recently test-drove it in our coffee. It was OK as long as the coffee was piping hot. I don't drink it too quickly, though...as soon as it cooled to lukewarm, it was gross, big time.

Cooks illustrated said it worked well, but not exactly the same, in cookies.

I just bought trix, reduced sugar. I like to eat cereal as a snack. I started eating them and the aftertaste was FOUL. Only then did I notice that the box said, "sweetened with Splenda." Ka-ka.

All that said, I have a very sensitive tongue for things like sugar and butter. I can tell if there is a filler in yogurt or ice cream by taste and cannot palate any kind of margarine. I can tell if the cocoa butter in chocolate has been replaced by something inferior. I can taste the difference with everything, absolutely everything. I don't think most people are as sensitive as I am. Everyone I asked about it said it was "just like sugar." If you aren't aware that you're super picky, you probably will do just fine with it.

When I am using sweeteners, I go for fructose. Same calories as sugar, but is absorbed slower into the bloodstream, so it doesn't spike my insulin like sugar. It's not so great if you are trying to cut calories, though.

[HeavenLeigh]

:eek: wow you do have sensitive taste buds. You could make a killing being a taste tester!

I LOVE my tea! I haven't had a mello yello all day. I have had nothing but tea and water...........and boy I'm paying for it now. I can't sleep for tinkling every 5 minutes :rolleyes:

[Turtleheadfred]

Originally posted by HeavenLeigh
I can't sleep for tinkling every 5 minutes :rolleyes:

:run: (as we all picture Krysti running from her computer to the little girl's room...)

Well thank you for sharing that Krysti!:lol: