Desserts, Sweets, Baked Goods for Diabetics

[andiesenji]

Splenda's new product, Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking, is half and half, sugar/Splenda.

It is excellent for use where plain Splenda is not quite right. It weighs out the same as sugar, which is helpful for recipes based on weight instead of volume (as are most of mine).

It works great in beating egg whites and I have made a classic 7-minute frosting which turned out great.

You can label it "reduced sugar" frosting.

I don't really have a recipe written down as I have been making this for 50 years but this site has a standard recipe.

7-minute frosting

I am also a Type II diabetic.

Edited October 31, 2004 by andiesenji (log)

[andiesenji]

A few months back I picked up Marlene Koch's "Unbelievable Desserts with Splenda, at Sam's Club for $12.88.

It is a small book but has a lot of great recipes using Splenda, including a fresh peach custard pie that I made on several occasions when the peaches were in season. I also made in once with apricots. Excellent.

I also made a citrus chiffon cake which I took to a party and everyone loved.

However, the best recipe so far, and one which I have made several times, is the Unbelievable Chocolate Cake. It has only 160 calories per serving, 22 grams carbs, 8 sugar, 3 gms protein and 7 grams of fat. for a Diabetic exchange it equals 1 1/2 servings of carbs, 1 fat.

I haven't checked its availability on Amazon, but in my opinion it is a great little book. Regular retail is $19.95 so the deal at Sam's was very good.

[BakerChick]

Sinclair,

I don't know anything about a diabetic diet than what I've read here. Frostings have to be thick enough to stay on a cake, but without using sugar, another method of thickening has to be used. Chocolate is a thickner and stabilizer, and it tastes really good! Gelatin could also be used, as in a marshmallow fluff. Pectin and cornstarch might be acceptable to some dieters in small amounts. Air is a thickner, too, and it also makes rich foods more enjoyable to eat. According to what I've read, it sounds like it would be possible to use a dark chocolate ganache for glazing any cake. Also, by adding additional cream to the cooled ganache it can be whipped. This frosting would have to be refrigerated. It would be similar to frosting with a mousse. As for using cream cheese, that sounds a little harsh. Cream cheese has to be sweetened a LOT to overcome that acidity. However, mascarpone could be substituted in some cases I guess. I have made a pretty sturdy filling by whipping 8 oz. mascarpone, 16 oz heavy cream, and 3 oz. sugar. Since the sugar did not help stabilize the mixture, It should be fine being substituted in part or in whole with Splenda. I have not tried this, but what about a swiss buttercream? That is where you heat egg whites and sugar (Splenda?) over a water bath to at least 160F. Then whip it until cool and add unsalted butter. In a french meringue, the sugar provides most of the structure. But in a swiss meringue/buttercream the albumin* in the egg whites is fully unfurled by the heat, which adds stability to the eggs alone, so they won't overwhip or deflate easily.

*Correct me if I've put the wrong name here, please.

[docsconz]

Based on Sugar Busters - Nuts are fine, so is whole grain, whole wheat flour.  So are most fruits with the exception of bananas and pineapple. 

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When I was first diagnosed I had been regularly having a "low-fat" breakfast of banana in a baguette. This sent my blood glucose sky high. Needless to say, I don't eat that anymore and as much as I love them I tend to stay away from bananas unless I have them as part of a dessert after a rich meal that somewhat mitigates the effect.

[docsconz]

Moderation is what's important.

Amen.

When it comes to sugar and other carbohydrates, sheer quantity has a greater influence than the particular qualities of the carbohydrate.

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Quantity certainly is important, but so is the type of carbohydrate. Simple sugars are clearly worse than complex carbs as far as basic rapidity of uptake and resultant blood glucose. Obviously one can have too much of a good thing, though what constitutes "too much" is relative. The simple sugar effects, however, can be mitigated by their dietary context, which is why I state that "no sugar" for a diabetic is a myth. Pure simple sugars without mitigating context, however, remain a major no-no.

[JFLinLA]

A note to the pro's:

I am a passionate home baker who is married to a man who can't eat sugar. Ironic, isnt' it. Even on the savory side, we often ask about dishes that are finished in some sort of reduction that may include sugar.

Don't worry about what will or won't work for those looking for "diabetic" desserts. I wouldn't use those terms. My husband has learned what kinds of sweeteners he can and can't use. A few examples:

Whole Foods sells several types of baked/sweet goods without "regular" sugar. He or I read the small print. For him anything with raw sugar, organic sugar, maple syrup, honey or any other number of things is not OK. He knows what products to by. Here in Southern California, WF carries a brand called "Fabe's" that works well for him.

We took a family cruise this summer. The ship always had a nice selection of "diabetic" desserts. We simply asked what they were sweetened with and make the decision accordingly.

Here in LA we have a long-time bakery called "Mani's" that makes really delicious items using alternative sweeteners. That includes everything from the plain and simple to wedding cakes. They use a variety of sweeteners. We know what works in our family and what doesn't. (For what it's worth, while Mani Niall left his namesake bakery years ago, he did publish 2 books that may be worth looking into.)

I guess my point is this to the pro's. Your customers who can't eat sugar will really appreciate it if you offer them an alternative. Rather than using terms that will get you in trouble, just make sure to inform them what alternative sweetener -- chemical or natural -- you are using.

[Wendy DeBord]

That sounds real do-able JFLinLa.........can the rest of you agree to that? Will it be enough if we take out the sugars mentioned in the last post and label what artifical sweetner we used and still continue using any other ingredients we normally would have used?

[scott123]

Wendy, maybe I'm hearing JFLinLA incorrectly, but what it sounds like is another effort to equate 'diabetic' with 'sugar free.' Since there appears to be a wide variety of approaches to diabetic desserts, wouldn't it ruffle a lot less feathers just to remove the word 'diabetic' from the equation? Instead of a thread on diabetic desserts, why not one thread on 'sugar-free' desserts, another thread on 'reduced sugar desserts' and even a thread on 'low glycemic desserts?' If a quorum is your goal, a slight shift in terminology might help to move things in a more productive direction.

[JFLinLA]

Scott -- I am not trying to equate diabetic or sugar-free with anything. If I see those terms on a product label, it is not sufficient. I read the small print. If a restaurant or bakery uses those terms, I inquire further about ingredients. I have learned from past mistakes. My point is, tell the truth, and your customers will let you know what does and doesn't work for them.

[Wendy DeBord]

Instead of a thread on diabetic desserts, why not one thread on 'sugar-free' desserts, another thread on 'reduced sugar desserts' and even a thread on 'low glycemic desserts?'

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I guess I have to ask, why diabetics aren't more specific when they call ahead and request a special dessert? They or their SO ask for a 'diabetic dessert' and they should know better then to be so vague. If they could specify sugar-free, artifically sweetened or low carb. it would be far easier for the non-diabetic chef or reservationist to understand what they are requesting.

"I guess my point is this to the pro's. Your customers who can't eat sugar will really appreciate it if you offer them an alternative."

I guess it comes down to better communication........... I wish I could talk to all special diet needs people out there and ask them to be more specific when they make a request. I want them to know that we really do want to please them and it's not rude to be specific-it's helpful. Dessert menus are typically far more limited then entree's. We can't cover every possible special needs diet on a dessert menu. That's why I'm trying to narrow down this discussion and bring some sort of group agreement on what we can make that would satisfy a large enough group of special needs diet people to make it worth while for all restaurants to include something that satisfys this growing group. Just about every restaurant has a vegetarian meal because there are enough people out there buying those entree's to make it profitable to cater to that group. But it's just not clear cut enough for p. chefs to find and make 1 dessert on their menus that will fit all special needs diets. We can't give you as many choices as chefs can with entrees, mainly because of lack of money to put into a product that may not sell. So you have to understand the 'why not'/'why we aren't giving you an alternative' so that you can contol with your pocket books whether or not we do make you an alternative.

[scott123]

Scott -- I am not trying to equate diabetic or sugar-free with anything.  If I see those terms on a product label, it is not sufficient.  I read the small print.  If a restaurant or bakery uses those terms, I inquire further about ingredients.  I have learned from past mistakes.  My point is, tell the truth, and your customers will let you know what does and doesn't work for them.

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A label free nutritional approach based upon informed decisions. Okay, I can see that. It might produce a long menu or require extensive memorization from the servers, but yes, I would most certainly approve of a restaurant that laid everything out on the table in that manner (or made the information available upon request).

[scott123]

Instead of a thread on diabetic desserts, why not one thread on 'sugar-free' desserts, another thread on 'reduced sugar desserts' and even a thread on 'low glycemic desserts?'

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I guess I have to ask, why diabetics aren't more specific when they call ahead and request a special dessert? They or their SO ask for a 'diabetic dessert' and they should know better then to be so vague. If they could specify sugar-free, artifically sweetened or low carb. it would be far easier for the non-diabetic chef or reservationist to understand what they are requesting.

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I think a phone call from a person asking for a 'diabetic' dessert is an entirely different story than what's being discussed here. That's clear as crystal. This is a misinformed individual laboring under the myth that 'diabetic' denotes sugar/refined flour free. I think it's extremely safe to say that any diabetic who was comfortable with sugar in their desserts would most likely not call an establishment requesting a 'diabetic' dessert, and, if they did, it would most definitely never be without further clarification.

If you wish to stop the spread of misinformation, so that people like Ruth don't have to go blue in the face, you might choose to ask them something like "uh, could you clarify what you mean by 'diabetic?'" Or you can leave them to their blissful ignorance and make them the sugar/refined flour free confection they're requesting.

Catering to a person that subscribes to a myth is one thing. You can play along with their skewed paradigm or choose to challenge it. It's up to you. Within these four cyberwalls and the diabetic community as a whole, that's where the shades of gray come into play.

I know this doesn't help you in your effort to reach out to the diabetic community, but it might make your life a little easier when dealing with customers with a limited perspective.

[Wendy DeBord]

I think a phone call from a person asking for a 'diabetic' dessert is an entirely different story than what's being discussed here. That's clear as crystal. This is a misinformed individual laboring under the myth that 'diabetic' denotes sugar/refined flour free. I think it's extremely safe to say that any diabetic who was comfortable with sugar in their desserts would most likely not call an establishment requesting a 'diabetic' dessert, and, if they did, it would most definitely never be without further clarification.

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As a cook/chef my job doesn't entail answering the phone nor educating the entire list of possible staff that might answer the phone and accept a special order how to handle every possible diet request we might recieve. We are not encouraged to call people at their homes to get further clarifacation when the orginial order taker failed to ask the necessary questions.

I'm sorry if things seem off topic from the thread title.............we did wonder a bit. Eventually the question came up "why don't chefs/restaurants offer diabetic dessert options" and I was trying to explain why it's not common place. AND in doing so trying to find out more about diabetic needs because I did (thanks to the people here I think I finally understand) find conflicting info. on the topic and never understood what was asked of me when the request came in for a diabetic dessert. It's sure does seem logical that the person placing the order/request would clarify what specific dietary needs this person is following but the FACTS are, they don't ever include that info. when calling in for a special request in my experience. There is a huge difference between making desserts subbing in splenda or a sugar subsitute then making a dessert that's low carb...........and from what everyone here has said-both diets apply to diabetics..........plus add in confusion about which fruits they can or can't eat.

It's easier to explain to the group of people that do have special dietary needs that THEY should be very specific when ordering and dealing with dinning partners. Assuming or attempting to educate the entire population of migrant waitstaff, hostesses and cooks they might encounter is not an achievable goal. You can not assume that the rest of the world understands your specific diet........especially when your own spouse can't/doesn't clarify what they are special ordering. In my experience 99% of the time it's not the actual diabetic placing the special order (no they don't make special requests typically)-it's their loved ones or host that make the call.

[Ursula40]

I now have 2 friends who are diabetics, one of them is a child. Is it possible to bake a cake for them and do you have any recipes I could use. The mother of the child wants a cake and asked about the carbohydrate content of the cake. How do I calculate that? What about icing, there's a lot of sugar in that. I don't quite know what to tell her. Can anyone help, please?

Regards from Shanghai

Ursula

[SuzySushi]

Hi Ursula, and welcome to eGullet!

Yes, it's possible to bake sugar-free cakes, but what kinds of sugar substitutes do you have access to in Shanghai? I have some recipes that call for Splenda (sucralose -- which is the most stable sugar substitute to use in baking) and others that call for Equal -- aspartame -- and they're not always interchangeable. Both of those brands have websites with recipes (www.splenda.com and www.equal.com) that break out the carbohydrate counts. Also, the American Diabetes Association website has some cake and quick bread recipes (such as banana bread) that contain small amounts of sugar, but can be worked into a diabetic diet.

Both my husband and my 9 year old daughter have diabetes, so I understand your problem. I baked a sugar-free chocolate cake for my daughter's last birthday but did not frost it (that's the hardest part). I'll post the recipe when I locate it in my files.

Edited May 30, 2006 by SuzySushi (log)

[SuzySushi]

Okay, I found the recipe, passed along by an acquaintance. It's not as tasty as a "real" chocolate cake with sugar, but it'll work!

Splenda Dutch Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

3/4 cup non-fat dry milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1-1/2 cups Splenda granulated sugar substitute

3/4 cup applesauce

1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk

2 eggs + 2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix together all dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on low speed until blended, then beat on high speed for 3 minutes or until color lightens.

Pour into two greased and floured 8" round cake pans (I baked this as a sheet cake in one 9 x 13" pan).

Bake. Let cool to room temperature before frosting and filling.

Makes 16 servings. Nutrition Information per serving: 103 calories, 2g fat, 1g saturated fat, 30mg cholesterol, 210mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate, 5g protein. Exchanges: 1 starch.

I didn't fill or frost the cake, but I have in my files the following recipe for a sugar-free frosting. I don't have the nutritional breakout. Cornstarch supposedly is metabilized more slowly than flour, and has less effect on blood sugar readings. I'd still suggest going easy on this!

Sugar-Free "Powdered Sugar" Frosting

2 cups non-fat dry milk powder

2 cups cornstarch

1 cup Splenda granulated sugar substitute

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract (optional)

cocoa powder (optional)

Combine powdered milk, cornstarch, and Splenda in a food processor or blender. Process until well blended and powdered.

To make frosting, use the mixture as you would use confectioners' sugar, adding milk and extract and beating until smooth. Add cocoa powder to make chocolate frosting.

[Ursula40]

Hi SuzySushi,

I would really appreciate that a lot. tell the truth I haven't really looked around yet, which substitutions I can get here, the mother only asked me for the cake yesterday. I will have a look at both sites you recommended, thank you very much. The only thing I really am worried about is that the mother wanted a frosted cake, but I suppose she should know about that better than me. It's a combined b'day party for the diabetic child and his best friend, who isn't diabetic. Not really sure whether I really want to make the cake. I think I'll go and do a little bit of studying now.

Regards Ursula

Edited May 30, 2006 by Ursula40 (log)

[SweetSide]

If you are doing chocolate, you may be able to do a ganache frosting instead of a buttercream. If you use a high percentage chocolate, it will have less sugar in it.

Also, some recipe software programs can give you the caloric and carbohydrate content of a recipe once entered. There are online calculators as well. HERE is one of them.

Searching Google for Nutrition analysis will turn up many others.

[maggie]

If you don't want to use a sugar substitute, use a date or banana puree, equal amount for the sugar. Add one egg yolk to make the crumb stronger, if you use banana. To make the date puree, put the pitted dates in a microwave proof container and pack them down a bit. Cover with water and microwave until the water bubbles. Let them soak for 30-60 minutes, then puree completely. Measure how much you need from the puree, not before you make the puree. I like the dates better than the banana, because I think the banana flavor comes out too strongly. The dates act just like brown sugar, which is yummier in chocolate cake, anyway.

I should say, I mean to use an ordinary chocolate cake recipe, with the substitution of the puree, one with cocoa powder and/or unsweetened chocolate.

As for the frosting, I think the mother needs to face facts, or raise her child to be filled with chemicals. They say Splenda is made from sugar, but I think there's a lot of chemistry going on there that they're not talking about. My mom, a diabetic, gets diarhea from it, and I've heard that from others as well. I agree with the ganache as a way to go. Let us know how it comes out!

Edited May 30, 2006 by maggie (log)

[SuzySushi]

Maggie -- I have nothing against substituting bananas or applesauce for sugar, but have a real problem in suggesting date puree for people who have diabetes because of its extremely high glycemic index.

1/4 cup of granulated sugar has 50 grams of carbohydrates and a glycemic index (GI) of 61.

1 medium banana (about 1/4 cup mashed) has 29 grams of carbs and a GI of 51.

1/4 cup of dates has 31 grams of carbs and a GI of 103, more than twice that of bananas!

This information comes from a couple of sources, including carbohydrate-counter.org and carbs-information.com

To everyone in general -- keeping the carbohydrate count down in sweets is especially important for kids with diabetes because the number of carbohydrates in a serving of frosted cake or a single can of soda (about 45 grams carbs) can equal their dietary allowance for a whole meal, without providing any nutrition.

[maggie]

Oops! I make that cake all the time for diabetics who stay at our hotel! My mom, the diabetic in family, tells me about the carb/sugar dilemna all the time, but I don't really study the science behind it. I just have to say that I find Splenda frightening, and will not be at all surprised at an announcement someday that it causes medical problems, just as with Sweet and Low. Your recipe includes processed sugar, which can't be good for them, either, as do a lot of recipes in the cookbooks we have at work for diabetic sweets. I would much rather serve small portions of naturally sweetened desserts than use chemicals, especially to a child.

[SuzySushi]

Your recipe includes processed sugar, which can't be good for them, either

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??

Where do you see "processed sugar" in the recipe I posted, unless you're calling Splenda sugar?

[Ursula40]

Thank you all for your help. I will have to see, what I can get here. Banana is no problem, I think they are everywhere, but the rest, I'll have to see. I'll probably just use a lot less sugar than normal and hope for the best, I'll ask the mother about adding Banana beforehand though. Bananas and chocolate go well together in my opinion and the child will have to remove the frosting as much as possible. Well have just phoned her and she is really appreciative. So I'll go with banana. Will have to tweek my marblecake recipe to accomodate that. I will let you guys know, how the cake was received. Thanks ever so much.

Regards Ursula

[scott123]

If you've read any of the previous threads on this subject, you'll know that there is no one single approach to diabetic eating. Some eat low fat, some low carb, some sugar free, some a combination of these three, while some eat normally and medicate. There are a myriad number of approaches. If you guess wrong, you'll make a cake your friends won't be able to eat. If your friend is asking you the carbohydrate content, there's a good chance they watch all their carbs, not just the sugar carbs. If you give them a sugar free (or low sugar) cake made with wheat flour, this may not work for them. You may need to track down wheat flour alternatives such as soy flour, almond flour and/or vital wheat gluten.

Talk to your friend and find out specifically what they can/cannot eat. If they eat sugar free, that's a lot easier than if they eat low carb. If they watch their fat intake, that complicates things as well, especially when you get into the icing.

Banana, btw, is high in sugar. When it comes to blood sugar response, the body makes absolutely no differentiation between naturally occuring sugars and refined white sugar. Sugar is sugar.

[SweetSide]

Maggie -- I have nothing against substituting bananas or applesauce for sugar, but have a real problem in suggesting date puree for people who have diabetes because of its extremely high glycemic index.

1/4 cup of granulated sugar has 50 grams of carbohydrates and a glycemic index (GI) of 61.

1 medium banana (about 1/4 cup mashed) has 29 grams of carbs and a GI of 51.

1/4 cup of dates has 31 grams of carbs and a GI of 103, more than twice that of bananas!

This information comes from a couple of sources, including carbohydrate-counter.org and carbs-information.com

To everyone in general -- keeping the carbohydrate count down in sweets is especially important for kids with diabetes because the number of carbohydrates in a serving of frosted cake or a single can of soda (about 45 grams carbs) can equal their dietary allowance for a whole meal, without providing any nutrition.

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Great advice! I'm a diet controlled (no meds, no insulin) Type 2 diabetic. Balance is key, glycemic index is key.

When people tell me something is "no sugar added", but is sweetened with juice or sweet fruit and expect me to eat it, they are surprised when I decline. Fruit juice will send me wonky. A chocolate bar won't. Has to do with fat content slowing down the carb absorption. (Again, I'm solely diet controlled)

Chemicals are scary, but sometimes, they are the only way. The best way, which I try to adhere to as much as I can, is to just eat "clean" -- minimally processed foods. That means no bakery treats. Fruit -- ok with cheese or peanut butter. Hard line? Yes. It took a year of trial and error to find what works for me.

Scott123 just posted above as I was typing -- he said it very well!