Okay, so, I’ve been trying to cut down on sugar, right? But I have this massive sweet tooth, especially when it comes to apple desserts. Apple pie, apple crisp, you name it. So I thought, why not try making some of these with Splenda instead of regular sugar? I mean, how hard could it be?
First, I did a bit of digging around to see what kinds of apples are best for baking. Turns out, Granny Smith and Braeburn are great choices because they hold their shape well and don’t turn into mush. I love a good, firm apple in my desserts, so I grabbed a few of each.
Then I tried making an apple crisp. I just kind of winged it, I chopped up the apples, tossed them with some cinnamon, a bit of lemon juice, and some Splenda. For the topping, I mixed some oats, a bit of flour, more Splenda, and some melted butter. I know, butter, but we can’t give up on everything, right?
I baked it in the oven until it was all bubbly and golden brown on top. I let it cool for a bit because I burned my tongue last time.
Here’s what I learned:
- Granny Smith apples are definitely the way to go. They held up great and had a nice tartness that balanced out the sweetness of the Splenda.
- Splenda bakes differently than sugar. It doesn’t caramelize in the same way, so the topping didn’t get that deep brown color I usually like. But it was still crispy and tasty!
- You might need to adjust the amount of Splenda. I used the same amount as I would sugar, and it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Next time, I’ll probably use a little less.
Next, I tried to modify a recipe for apple pie cupcakes. I made a simple batter with flour, eggs, milk, and you guessed it, Splenda. I added some chopped apples to the batter and baked them in cupcake liners. For the frosting, I whipped up some butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, and more Splenda.
Here is the problem. Those cupcakes were… okay. The texture was a bit off, maybe because of the Splenda, or maybe I just messed up the batter. They were edible, but not exactly something I’d serve to guests. The frosting, though, was pretty good! I might just eat that with a spoon next time.
Overall
It was a fun experiment! Not everything turned out perfect, but I definitely learned a lot about baking with Splenda. I’m going to keep trying and tweaking recipes until I find that perfect sugar-free apple dessert. Maybe I’ll try an apple pie next. Wish me luck!
And if any of you have tried baking with Splenda or have any good sugar-free apple dessert recipes, let me know in the comments! I’m always looking for new ideas. Keep it real, folks!
