Coarse sugar, also called decorating sugar and sometimes mistaken for sanding sugar, is larger than the granulated sugar typically used in baking. One consideration when baking with coarse sugar is the time it takes to dissolve in the batter....
Olive oil can increase HDL, commonly known as good cholesterol, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Many baking recipes call for vegetable oil or shortening, which do not offer these health benefits. However, with some planning and recipe...
Health-conscious cooks know that applesauce, prunes, pumpkin puree and mashed bananas may substitute for all or some of the butter used in baking. If you're lucky enough to have a trusted low-fat cookbook that already has done the calculating for...
USA Today reports that almost 73 million U.S adults, roughly 34 percent of the population, are obese. Cynthia Ogden, an epidemiologist at the National Center for Health Statistics, indicates the obesity trend seems to be slowing down, but it's...
Malt syrup is a semisweet syrup used in fermenting certain foods and drinks, especially breads and beers. Often made with barley, malt syrup is less sweet than honey or sugar. Its dark and thick consistency resembles molasses. When baking, you can...
Guavas are fruits found in tropical climates growing on trees. The skin of the guava is green and ripens to yellow with flesh that is either white, yellow or pink. While guavas are eaten raw, the smell is often discouraging to someone unfamiliar...
Fats like butter, oil, shortening and lard are used to give baked goods their moisture, texture and flavor. Making a commitment to healthy eating doesn't have to mean giving up all of your favorite desserts or putting up with baked goods that are...
Normally, you do not want your melted chocolate to seize -- this happens when a small amount of moisture touches the chocolate and makes it harden and become grainy. Chocolate is made of cocoa butter, sugar and dry cocoa, which do not mix well...
If you think that acorns are just for squirrels, then it's time to think again. Native Americans have a long history of consuming acorns, and the Japanese used this nut to supplement rice during World War II, according to EatTheWeeds.com. These...
Godiva is a chocolatier that prides itself on decadence and luxury. Whether it is their chocolate bars or their other candies, you can expect rich chocolaty flavor. If you are a Godiva fan and enjoy baking, you may be wondering how to incorporate...
Baking recipes often call for large amounts of butter, shortening or oil. These fats provide flavor, help baked products brown, extend their shelf life and make their interiors moist and tender. However, they also add a lot of calories, about 100...
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a leavening agent used in baking recipes. Baking soda, unlike baking powder, is added to recipes with an acidic liquid. Although baking soda is not easily substituted, there are a few things you can do in an...
Recipes for baking often use very precise measurements and instructions to help home cooks achieve consistent results. While measurements for ingredients may be easy to decipher, the terms for mixing techniques may be baffling for novice bakers....
Used worldwide, sucralose is marketed under the brand name Splenda. According to Sucralose.org, the manufacture of sucralose is multi-step, replacing three hydrogen atoms found in ordinary sugar with an equal amount of chlorine atoms. The process...
While a little fat in your diet is good, too much saturated fat may lead to health problems. If you are looking for ways to cut down on fat in your diet, consider substituting plain yogurt for fat in your baking. According to the University of...
An egg contains about 213 mg of cholesterol, with all the cholesterol found in the egg yolk. High cholesterol levels lead to complications including high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack. The two types of cholesterol are "good" cholesterol,...
Sugar is a staple of baked goods, used in varying quantities in almost every variety. Breads and pancakes use a small amount of sugar, with around a few tablespoons, while dessert breads, cakes, pies and other desserts use large quantities of...
Successful baking is all about chemistry. Cakes, quick breads and muffins require the action of an acid and a base to create carbon dioxide. This chemical reaction gives your baked treats the right texture and height. Baking soda is a base, while...
Citron is more than just a flavor used in vodka drinks. Though it is often confused with lemon, citron is its own fruit. It has a similar taste and smell to lemon, but is much more mild in flavor. However, only the fruit's peel is used in baking...
Famously described in Homer's poem "The Odyssey," philosophers, physicians, mystics and gourmands have espoused the virtues of the pear since ancient times. While eating a tree-ripened pear out of hand is a gastronomic pleasure, the pear's...
Spices enhance the flavors of your favorite foods but can also benefit your brain health as well. Larry McCleary reports in his book, "The Brain Trust Program," that spices come from the ground up berries, seeds, bark or roots of plants. Many of...
Sugar has a number of purposes when used in baked goods. Aside from flavoring a recipe, sugar also affects the color, texture and volume of a recipe and it preserves the food so you can keep it longer. Nonetheless, sugar is a food you should...
Honey, which is formed by bees, is a mixture of several types of sugar, including fructose and glucose, explains the American Dietetic Association. Many people believe that it is more nutritious than sugar.
Corn oil is one of the healthiest oils around, but that doesn't mean you have to run to the store if a recipe calls for it and you're out. Other oils work just as well as corn oil in recipes, salads and food preparation -- even for corn bread....
Milk substitutes can provide a baking alternative for vegans, individuals with lactose intolerance and people with dairy allergies. Coconut and hemp milk may be substituted for dairy milk in your baking recipes. However, hemp milk and coconut...
You're at home baking cookies for your child's classroom party, a book-club meeting or as a treat for your family. You're in the middle of mixing your ingredients and realize you don't have any baking powder and you can't run out to the store to...
Vitamin C powder can replace baking powder in many recipes that require a leavening agent. You can add vitamin C in powder form, also referred to as ascorbic acid powder, to baking recipes or sprinkle it on food to increase the nutrient content....
Honey offers antioxidant benefits to protect the body against free radicals and is considered the healthiest sweetener for people with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, according to the George Mateljan Foundation's website, The World's...
Condensed milk is very sweet and can easily substitute for regular sugar in a baked desert. According to Slashfood.com, "at least 40 percent of what is inside a can of sweetened condensed milk is sugar." Condensed milk has a long shelf life, and...
