# Is is possible to make a simple syrup with splenda?



## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

Is is possible to make a simple syrup with splenda?

Or part splenda, part sugar or corn syrup.

TIA!


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I think it wouldn't thicken up like simple syrup. 

Phil


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Abe,

Yes. Or, yes. 

To correct a misperception, simple syrup is never thickened. At least not by reduction. It may be made thick by using a high ratio of sugar to water. However, it's usually 1:1 by volume. 

Splenda, which is chlorinated sugar, dissolves completely at a lower temperature than regular sugar. It is not necessary to boil the water to make a simple syrup. The few times I've made low-carb simple syrup with Splenda, I made it 1:1 ratio, by volume. The process was reversed compared to a sugar simple syrup. That is, I mixed the Splenda with room temperature water, and put it on heat just long enough to completely dissolve. My guess is that this occurred at about 120F. The solution held for several weeks, until the syrup was completely used.

I don't see any technical problem with using a mix of sugar and Splenda or corn-syrup and Splenda. I'd make the sugar syrup first, then dissolve the Splenda in it as the syrup cooled. 

BDL


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## abefroman (Mar 12, 2005)

Thanks! I'll give that a try.

Im trying to make a low carb lime sorbet


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

Hi Abefroman,

Making a simple syrup with sugar is done too completely dissolve the sugar crystals. Adding a simple syrup made with sugar when making sorbet helps minimize ice crystal formation. A simple syrup made with Splenda wont have as much an effect on ice crystals and seems to dissolve easily.

Instead of making a simple syrup, just add the Splenda straight in the mix until you get the desired sweetness. It should be much simpler to do. 

Luc H.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

One of those rare disagreements with Luc. Sorry, brother.

Yes. Otherwise the sugar would not dissolve completely and would be grainy. Making a syrup also allows you to add fully dissolved sugar to a cold mixture. But we're about to head South.

I believe you're wrong. Actually, undissolved sugar retards crystal formation in the same way salt on the roads prevents it. More to the point a sorbet is, in fact, a frozen syrup. This is reflected in the etymology of the word "sorbet," which comes from the latinate "sirop," which in turn comes from the Arabic "sharub." Of course, "sirop" and "sharub" both mean syrup.

Mais non! The Splenda must be completely dissolved or the sorbet will be grainy, irrespective of ice crystals. Splenda ("sucralose") won't dissolve in a cool fruit puree any better or more completely than it does in cold tea. Sucralose is sold in two different crystal forms, as three different products. One, packaged in individual packets, is made from needle shaped, easily broken crystals, and is sold for beverages. The other crystal form is packaged as a loose powder and is sold (relatively) pure for general cooking purposes, or mixed 50/50 with sucrose specially for baking. The crystals in loose packaged Splenda crystals are made from a different process than "packet" Splenda. The crystals are flat, rather than needle and less easily soluble. The beverage form dissolves more efficiently than the cooking form, which in turn, is more efficient than the 50/50. All are better in this respect than pure sugar, but none of them by much. Sorbet depends on completely dissolved sucrose (sugar) or sucralose (Splenda); and Luc's guess is DOA.

Sorbet must be made from syrup to get the right textural, weight and flavor balances.

The way to prevent ice-crystal formation in a sorbet is to stir constantly during the freezing process. That is, to use an ice cream maker. Compare this to "granita," which is made in such a way as to enhance crystal formation.

Sorbet is generally made with (wait for it) _sorbet syrup_ (aka "thick simple syrup"), which is 2 sugar to 1 water by volume and cooked to 220F at sea level. Despite manufacturers' claim of absolute equivalency, an equivalent sucralose simple syrup is around 1-1/2 Splenda to 1 water. I didn't think it was important to go into equivalences because I thought the syrup would be used in something which was easily adjusted. But you can't taste sorbet qua sorbet until it's frozen. So, it's important to get as much of a handle on it in advance as is possible.

Because we're looking for a total dissolve in a more concentrated solution than I'd originally believed you wanted, more heat should be employed. Make by adding 1-1/2 cups Splenda to 1 cup simmering water, simmering for five minutes, then allowing the solution to cool to room temp, stirring occasionally, before using. It won't be as thick as a sugar solution, but volume for volume will be as sweet. I expect you'd end up with a better product by using the 50/50 blend and measuring and making according to normal simple syrup techniques.

BDL


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

BDL, try this experiment for yourself: make a simple sugar syrup (1:1), cool it then place it in a resealable bag and then in the freezer. The liquid will never crystallize after days. It will stay viscous but never solid. The thing will look like a very cold breast implant. Dissolved sugar retards (prevents) water crystals during freezing. It does not work like salt. 

As for dissolving Splenda, I have no idea how easily it dissolves. I won't touch the stuff. I just figured that so little is needed to sweeten that it would dissolve in a flash so why bother making a syrup.

Luc H.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Luc,

I tripped over my tongue when I wrote the part of my post you cited. Obviously, FP and BP are effected only by amounts of a given compound in solution, not by undissolved quantities. My bad.

However, the syrup solution does not prevent ice crystal formation -- given the amount of fruit involved -- in making sorbet. An ice-cream maker is required to continually smash them. As to the other parts of my post, I stick to them. Your guess regarding how Splenda works under these conditions was wrong. 

BDL


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

I think the origin of sorbet is French from an Arabic word <sharbah>.
Originally a sorbet was a flavoured ice which predates the Romans. The ice was in fact flavoured with a syrup but the syrup itself was not frozen. I am French and sorbet is no way near similar to the French word for syrup which is sirop. I doubt frozen syrup was the origin anyway since it is something very difficult to do before modern refrigeration was invented or even when adding salt to ice was known to decrease the temperature enough to make icecream.

Today, sorbet is, as we all know, a churned sweetened frozen fruit purée.

About churning and ice formation, yes churning reduces the size of the ice crystals keeping a frozen product smooth but if the mixture was composed of only fruit purée and churned at a higher freezing temperature that it will be stored then ice crystals will reform within days. Adding a sugar based simple syrup reduces this effect (as explain in my experiment above). Why then are popsicles relatively ice free (small delicate needles instead) when they are basically unchurned and made of sugar, water and flavour?.... wait for it.... because they are loaded with sugar.

Anyway when it comes to making sorbet or icecream at home, rarely have I come across an affordable churning machine that can churned at -18C or less. Those type are in the realm of professional equipment.

I make sorbet at home that rivals professional stuff without using any churning machine base solely on the understanding of ice crystal prevention. I
I blend a strong simple syrup with fruit purée, fill a resealable bag and squeeze all the air out. I evenly distribute the mixture in the bag and freeze it flat until solid. The next day, I crush the mixture still in the bag using a rolling pin on both sides ( within 2 minutes) to reduce the ice crystal size then refreeze for a couple of hours. After 4 or 5 times (or more if I want) of rolling this way that can be spread out over 2 to 3 days if you want, the mixture becomes very smooth. This way the storing temperature and <ice crushing> temperature are almost the same. I then transfer the paste like sorbet in a container. It keeps for a long time.

If your recipe includes fruits like banana or mangoes (apricots and peaches), the sugar alcohols (like sorbitol and others) included in these fruits stay malleable and also prevent ice crystals from forming during freezing. You will get better results.

Here is an interesting combination I developed:
combine the juice of 2 tangerines (or mandarins)
2 oranges
1/2 cup of frozen or fresh mango pieces
purée smooth in a blender.
this should give close to 2 cups (500ml) of juice/purée
add 1 cup (250ml) of strong simple syrup (or less)

strong Simple syrup: 2:1 sugar, water. bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes covered. Cool completely before using.

Abefroman, I still have no idea how to make this with Splenda but I hope this recipe can inspire you.

Luc H


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Abe, I've bought Splenda-based coffee 'syrups' before. I wonder if you could use them as part of your base? DaVinci and Torani are two brands that make their syrups from Splenda. Torani has a little xanthan gum in it.


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## dinubabear (Oct 29, 2008)

I've not made Sorbet, because fruits and Juices add too many carbs to to be Atkins diet friendly, But I've made Icecream with splenda for less than 2 grams of carbs per serving. You stir 13 packets of Splenda in 1 cup of water. No heating necessary. Beat in 2 egg yolks, 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla (and 2 T Dutched Cocoa powder if you want Chocolate Ice Cream instead of Vanilla). Mix with 1 pint Heavy whipping cream and put in icecream maker.
If you aren't on a strict carb count, this is NOT diet food, but on a strict Atkins diet you can eat a lot of this icecream to lose weight, and it is quite tasty.


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## chefhow (Oct 16, 2008)

I will tell you that you are going to have a difficult time making a proper sorbet with straight Splenda. It is, in its unadulterated form, 600 times sweeter than sugar so to make it a 1:1 replacement for sugar they have had to cut or plate it on something, that something is either Maltodextrin or Dextrose. Both of them dissolve in water but when cooked and cooled they have a funny texture that isnt very smooth, its almost grainy or pasty on the tongue and in the mouth. It also wont thicken like sugar when trying to make a simple syrup, it may taste the same but when it comes to function you may have to play around with it a little, I know that when I formulated with it and tried to use it in cooked and cool products I had to mix it with sugar to some degree.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

Here are some forms of sugar that you can use, Cane Sugar being the benchmark.
honey, fructose, fruit concentrate, xylitol, saccharin, glucose, sorbitol, maltitol, erthritol, lacticol, aspartame, neotane, sucratose, acesolfamf potassium. 
Splend is made by treating real sugar with 3 kinds of chlorine atoms in a lab. There are about 5 of the above that are deemed natural. 
They can all be used to make many things, but it depends on the result you want. Some have calories some do not


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## chefhow (Oct 16, 2008)

Chef Ed, while these all have an all natural label we all know that the name "Natural" is subject to debate. As for how they ***ntion, they will all dissolve but they will get cloudy and grainy when cooled. Its all a function of the carrier they are mixed with.


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## rpmcmurphy (Jan 8, 2008)

Similar topic.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/364218

I can tell you that I've seen cocktails made with splenda/water "simple syrup" ala minute. As well as a champagne sabayon.


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

They all do not have to be cooked, as far as color(cloudy) In some creams,and sorbets or ices, it does not matter.


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