How to use natural sweeteners instead of sugar
Although sweetener manufacturers often provide equivalences of the amount to be used to obtain the same sweetness as with sugar, the topic within cooking is not so simple. The truth is that I have had more than one failure when trying to substitute sugar for its equivalent in grams of the sweetener in question. It may be true that the sweetness is similar on the palate, but in the context of a recipe things change. And a lot.
First of all, I never use any artificial sweetener to replace sugar. First because there are no studies that show that they are capable of withstanding the temperatures of the oven or fire without deteriorating and thus becoming an unwanted toxic product and instead there are those that say the opposite. When in doubt I always use natural sweetening products.
Starting from this premise, something fundamental must be taken into account: if we cook for people with diabetes or other problems related to sugar or for the simple desire to reduce the number of calories. Not all sweeteners are suitable for all types of diabetes, so it is always advisable to consult your doctor at this point.
On the other hand, it is necessary to know that some sweeteners are often presented in wet formats that are not the dry and granulated sugar with which the recipes were created. For instance this generates differences in volume and flavor, but especially if the sweetener is liquid, we will have to reduce the liquid ingredients of the recipe. So do not think of happily substituting sugar for a sweetener. If you are not aware of those small details you will think that your old recipes do not work anymore.
When I replace sugar I usually use honey, agave syrup, or stevia. I would always like to use stevia because it is the ideal sweetener: with very little amount we can obtain the same sweetness as with sugar, it is suitable for diabetics and has zero calories. The problem is that it is very complicated to dose and almost impossible in its granulated version. I've never been able to make a dessert with granulated stevia look good, so I usually opt for the liquid version.
Honey is much sweeter than sugar. So if in a recipe we need two tablespoons of granulated sugar, with honey we will only need one. Even so, we may notice that the cake we have made is less sweet. I recommend not using more honey because then the result is too wet. In this case, it is preferable to add a little liquid stevia or fruit or even grated coconut. The sweetness of honey comes from fructose, something to consider for people with diabetes.
AGAVE SYRUP, LESS SWEET THAN SUGAR
Agave syrup is less sweet than sugar, so we must multiply the amount of granulated sugar used in a recipe by 1.25. That is, if in a recipe we use a cup of sugar, the equivalent is a cup and a quarter of agave syrup. This means that the recipe will be quite humid so it is convenient to reduce other liquid ingredients in it. If the recipe calls for milk, for every half a cup of agave syrup it is convenient to reduce two tablespoons of it. If there is no other liquid ingredient, it is best to add a tablespoon of starch for every half a glass of syrup. This way the excess moisture will be absorbed.
The sweetness of agave also comes from fructose, so be care with people with diabetes.
STEVIA, MUCH SWEETER THAN SUGAR
I only use liquid stevia because nothing has ever gone well with granules. For you to realize its sweetness, a teaspoon of stevia is enough to emulate the sweetness of a cup of sugar. As the liquid form can be dosed in drops, it should be noted that 6 drops of stevia are equivalent to a tablespoon of sugar.
When we use stevia we lose volume in the recipe. And it shows a lot. To avoid this I usually add the equivalent in volume of sugar of another sweet element with a neutral flavor. For example, if I needed a cup of sugar and I replaced it with a teaspoon of stevia, the rest of the cup is filled with applesauce or pumpkin. It is also preferable to add the stevia when the dough is already homogeneous - in the case of cakes - so that it is distributed correctly.
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