175 Natural Sugar Desserts

Angelina and Ari Dayan
Robert Rose Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9780778802280
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (11/10)

 

Over the past few years there has been a huge buzz to cut back on, or cut out, processed white sugar, not only for health reasons but also because of the rise in diabetes.  It’s always a pleasure to see recipes with substitutes that are healthier and more nutritious, yet provide a palatable end result.  The natural sugars that are used in “175 Natural Sugar Desserts” are agave syrup, xylitol, honey, and maple syrup.  Personally, my favorite is agave syrup because not only does it provide a healthy sweetness but it has nutritional value.  Many of the recipes don’t even ask for added sweeteners; the fruits and juices are sweet enough.

For the purpose of this review we are asked to test three recipes.  My first choice was “Fig and Apricot Chocolate Bars.”  I used agave syrup although the recipe gave options of using xylitol or honey.  The dried fruits themselves are very sweet but the unsweetened cocoa powder cut the sweetness.  The addition of cloves, cinnamon and cardamom gave these bars a holiday flare.   I decided to freeze what we didn’t eat the first day and am pleased to report it was a good choice - they freeze well and thaw out nicely.

The second recipe I tested was “Ricotta and Apple Turnovers.”  Would you believe there is no added sweetener to this recipe?  The sweet apples (I used Gala) and raisins, with the addition of cinnamon, made a very delicious treat.  We actually ate these for breakfast and didn’t feel the sugar high that pastry meals often give.  The turnovers were very easy to make using purchased phyllo sheets and within a very short time breakfast was on the table.

The third recipe I tested was “Bread-and-Butter Pudding with Pecans.”  I love bread pudding but often it is too sweet so I was very pleased to find a recipe that didn’t have any added sweeteners.   Yes, that’s right - no sugar; just 1/3 cup mixed dried fruit.  (I used dates and raisins.)  The pudding was very rich due to the 3 eggs and 2 cups milk, and the zest of one orange gave it a very yummy taste.  For me, this recipe was a god-send and I’ll be making it again.

I highly recommend this recipe book, especially for anyone that wants to cut out sugars and be able to eat desserts that are satisfying and delicious.  Perusing the rest of the recipes I note that they are simple, and most ingredients can be found in the pantry and certainly in a local grocery story.  For me, “175 Natural Sugar Desserts” is a keeper and I encourage anyone that wants to make desserts without sugar to check this book out.

Make comment on weblog

FTC Disclosure