Holiday Baking

This time of year, it can be very difficult to stay away from sweets and treats.   For many it is a time of sharing and overindulging. 

 I find it is better for some people to have a small amount of a treat you love - give yourself permission for a few bites or a small slice of pumpkin pie, for example, rather than restrict yourself completely.  Often with the rich holiday foods, a small amount can be very satisfying. 

 Shifting your focus to the reason to be together with friends and family – sharing time together, catching up on events from each other’s lives, this can be the most rewarding part of the season.  Turn your focus away from the foods and temptations and towards the positive emotional connections this time of year.

 If you are preparing holiday desserts, one way to make them a little bit better for you is to substitute natural sweeteners for refined white sugar.   Here is a chart that can help with the conversions.

sweetener

to replace 1 cup of   white sugar, use

liquid

note

agave nectar

3/4 cup

reduce 1/3 of total

lower oven temp

by 25 degrees

barley malt syrup

1 1/2 cups

reduce slightly

-

birch sugar (xylitol)

1 cup

-

does not work well in breads or hard candies

birch syrup

1/2-3/4 cup

reduce slightly

-

brown rice syrup

1 1/2 cups

reduce slightly

good for hard or crunchy baked goods

date sugar

2/3-1 cup

(adjust to your taste)

-

burns easily

honey

1/2-3/4 cup

(adjust to your taste)

reduce by 1/4 cup; if no liquid, add 3 Tbs flour

for each 1/2 cup honey

lower oven temp by 25 degrees

maple syrup

3/4 cup

reduce by 3 Tbs

add 1/4 tsp.baking soda

maple sugar

1 cup

-

add 1/8 tsp.baking soda

molasses

1/2 cup

-

-

Rapadura

1 cup

-

-

stevia

1 tsp

add 1/8 cup

you may have to experiment to get the ratio right

Sucanat

1 cup

-

add 1/4 tsp

baking soda

Most syrups work well in moist baked goods, but will soften crispier baked goods like biscotti or cookies.

Experiment with these conversions, as they may vary from recipe to recipe.

Remember – focus on the good times spent together, continue to get enough sleep and exercise and you will make it through the holiday season ending up healthy and happy in January.

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