# Stevia?



## koko (Jun 14, 2007)

HI I am wondering if anyone has tried substituting Stevia for Sugar in Praline or truffles?

I have read up on it's uses but have yet to try it, I would also like to know how it substitutes in baking... cakes etc.

Anyone have any insight, I'd love to hear it.

thx


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

Hi Koko,

Stevia may taste sweet like sugar but it does not function like it. The candylike texture of pralines is due to the sugar. Stevia juice is 30 times sweeter then sugar and the pure extract (Stevioside) is 250-400 times the sweetness of sugar. 
This means Stevia has no bulking potential like sugar has. It is like saying the sweetness of one hard candy is found in a pinch size of steviaside.

The only other <sugar> that can act like sugar in cooking is xylitol (that I know of). If you make praline with this stuff, you will need many trials to get the texture right but you would NOT need stevia because xylitol is already as sweet as sugar with a similar bulking capacity.

As for truffles: I guess you could make a truffle using pure dark chocolate, cream and butter then add the pure stevia powder to sweeten it (I would not use the liquid extract because water and chocolate don't mix).

Don't forget that Stevia has a mild licorice-like taste so I do not know how it would clash with chocolate (just a thought)

In any event, what you propose requires many trials...

Good luck!
Luc


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I'll sort of second that. I've used xylitol a few times over the years, and it's durned close to sugar in just about every way.

Some say that the Chinese and corn-derived xylitol has a somewhat metallic or off taste. and I've noticed that but once (but I don't recall the circumstance right now, but it was subtle). I don't think you'd notice it in your situation. If you can get US produced birch-derived xylitol you may be a little better of. 

Shel


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## luc_h (Jun 6, 2007)

(I forgot to add) recipes are readily on the net for baking applications.

Example site: SweetLeaf Stevia

Luc


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

for truffles you could add liquid stevia to the cream using unsweetened chocolate.

Let us know how things turned out!


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## koko (Jun 14, 2007)

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