[sqweetie5]

I'm thinking about doing core after doing flex for about a year. I like my sweets at night and was looking at all the yummy recipes. My question about splenda is, when you are making stuff w/it are you using the powdered stuff - like the stuff that comes in the little packets or are you using the splenda for baking? Thanks.

[kaplods]

For baking (which I do rarely) and general use, I use the Splenda granulated (on the package it says granulated Great for Cooking and Baking Measures Cup for Cup like sugar) or Walmart's store brand version (I forget it's name, but it's right next to the Splenda and much cheaper). It's much cheaper and easier to use than the packets. The packets don't measure cup for cup, so you have to do some math to figure out what you need (I've not done this for baking, but have used the packets for Kool-Ade, and some recipes when it's all I've had). Because the packets don't measure cup for cup, it can offset the liquid/solid ration in baking and yield unpredictable results.

Usually I buy the Walmart brand, because it is much cheaper, and the quality is just as good. However, I recently bought the name brand Splenda at Sam's Club. I haven't compared the price per ounce yet, but I think they come out pretty close (that is Sam's Club Splenda vs. the store brand at Walmart).

I never buy the brown sugar Splenda, but it simply combines Splenda with brown sugar. It would be much cheaper to blend brown sugar and Splenda at home, if you wanted to do that. I've found a brown sugar extract on the Spices, Etc. website, and am considering buying that to use along with the Splenda for baking.

I've also found that for some recipes, a sugar/Splenda combo works better than Splenda alone. Since they measure for measure you can use the same measuring cup, just put the sugar in first as it is heavier. So for say a half to 3/4 cup of sugar in a recipe, I'll put two or three tablespoons of sugar in the bottom of the measuring cup and then pour the Splenda to measure.

[pamatga]

I was given the cookbook "Unbelievable Desserts w Splenda" by Marilyn Koch and I have been using it for the past six months. Although I do not do a lot of baking I have made several of the recipes, with success, from this cookbook. She recommends the granular for baking since it has a different weight and consistency that is more suited for baking. I have used both the brand name Splenda and also the Wal-mart brand name as well. The Wal-mart brand is $2.00 cheaper for the same amount.

I know that there are many people who prefer a natural sweetener. My understanding is that this has been approved by the FDA and it has not been shown to have any side effects, although pregnant women and children should consult with their doctors.

I do feel that most artificial sweeteners do have an after taste. It is weird because most of the time I do not taste it with Splenda but sometimes I do even with that. I will say that if the taste bothers you and you can tolerate regular white sugar, go ahead like kaploid mentions and mix the two. In fact, now there is a Splenda-sugar blend being sold along side the regular Splenda. One caveat though: Splenda has no calories and sugar does so if you are counting calories or points or whatever, you need to figure in how much actual sugar you used.

Last week, I made peanut butter cookies with whole wheat flour and I ran out of Splenda (with no car to run to the store either) so I did do half and half. That time I did use the individual packets but it is soooo tedious to rip open those packets and pour them into a measuring cup that I would not recommend it for that reason---and that reason alone!

Good luck baking. With Splenda, you can have your cake and eat it too.

[QuilterInVA]

Splenda is still made with a chemical process so it is not a natural sweetener. And the brown sugar version has MORE calories than regular brown sugar.

[twestra]

I never realized the brown sugar version has more calories than real brown sugar. That's interesting. I guess I'd be better off using the real thing than.

[meowee]

I don't think that could be correct . . . the Splenda Brown Sugar Blend is just that, a blend -- half ordinary granulated Splenda and half real brown sugar. It certainly has more calories that regular granulated Splenda but not more than brown sugar when used correctly. It is meant to be used at a 1/2 cup to 1 cup replacement ratio -- in other words it does not get measured just like sugar. One cup of it could very well have slightly more calories than 1 cup of brown sugar; but that's not how you use it.

[twestra]

meowee,

So if a recipe calls for 2 tsp brown sugar, should I only be adding 1 tsp of splenda brown sugar?