|
Post by vangogh on Apr 13, 2024 13:36:30 GMT -5
So I'm sure this violates every religious tradition surrounding the hallowed process of making chocolate from scratch, but it's what I'm after so that's reason enough for me.
I've got a wet grinder on the way, cocoa butter, coconut "oil" (in-case some ratio of the two offers enhancements), some reasonable quality dutch-processed cocoa powder (later I'll explore bean to bar), and numerous powder sugar substitutes including maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, stevia, sucralose, allulose, multi-sugar sub blends, etc, along with a few sugar free syrups (but with water as the #1 ingredient my experiments thus far show them to be problematic if not useless for making room-stable dark chocolate).
My question to the Alchemist is this:
Have you attempted to perfect "chocolate" or whatever want to call this shameful iteration of it, using only sugar alcohols or other plant-based low/no-glycemic index sugar substitutes?
If not, any advice on where I might gather some information to save time, or any thoughts based on your general knowledge aside from those that would dissuade me from the overall purpose? I've no interest in debating the various tangential subjects sugar substitutes may raise -- I'm going down this route and that's all there is to it. But if there's wisdom out there in the general or specific sense for someone pursuing this, that would be greatly appreciated. If not, I'll have fun experimenting on my own.
My goals are as follows:
1) Have fun 2) Make something I personally enjoy while having fun 3) Have more fun iterating on the success 4) Determine the best texture profile (assuming quality ingredients, wet grinding, good process, plenty of practice) for the lowest glycemic index score for molded dark chocolate bars ranging from 55 to 85% (with the pedantic understanding that those figures become vague as you enter the realm of substitutes and the fillers some are mixed with to achieve sugar-like properties). 5) Make a few bulk batches for myself, friends, and family 6) Sell everything when I'm done and recoup some of the costs
Last year it was ultra-rare ancient grain homemade flour for bread topped with high-end (michelin star restaurant grade) butters and exotic salts.
This year it's low/no glycemic dark chocolate.
Life is good.
Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by lyndon on Apr 13, 2024 15:51:19 GMT -5
Nobody is particularly religiously against it, the issue is really down to technical aspects, artificial sweeteners don't really work in chocolate. However, many have tried, and come up with a few reasonable results. If you use the search function for the forums you should be able to find them. From memory, the best results came from using a blend of different sweeteners. But also, if it's legal/available in your area, you might want to look into allulose and see if that meets your requirements.
|
|
|
Post by Chip on Apr 13, 2024 16:26:12 GMT -5
Another thought: sugar alcohols often cause explosive gastrointestinal results.
|
|
|
Post by soseattle on Apr 13, 2024 19:07:19 GMT -5
I have made several batches of bean to bar chocolate using allulose as a sweetener. The results have been "OK" but still not completely happy with them. I think next I will experiment with 1/2 sugar and 1/2 allulose to see if I am happier with the results. You are right-"have fun" and "enjoy".
|
|
|
Post by vangogh on Apr 24, 2024 17:01:28 GMT -5
Another thought: sugar alcohols often cause explosive gastrointestinal results. Sorry but your statement is a classic misrepresentation of the facts, as evidenced by the words "often" and "explosive". Most sugar alcohols rarely cause any impact whatsoever when consumed in reasonable amounts, which is why they are now prevalent in countless products at every major grocery store. The few that are linked to varying degrees of mild upset like Xylitol only cause these issues for a subset of people and only above moderate quantities. Meanwhile sugar is indisputably linked to diabetes -- a disease now affecting 38.4 million Americans or 11.6% of the population. Diabetes is currently rated #8 in the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. I just had half of an excellent Erythritol chocolate bar after lunch yesterday and zero, zip, zilch GI impact. Also had sucralose-sweetened tea for breakfast, same w/coffee for lunch, an aspartame Mt. Dew on ice after dinner, and finally a big bowl of Maltitol-sweetened Bryer's sugar-free vanilla ice cream for desert with splendra-sweetened sugar free whip cream and the remaining half of that chocolate bar crushed and sprinkled on top. I had precisely zero GI issues at any point during the day or night, and that entire routine is roughty what I've consumed daily for years. I'm 46, weigh 145lbs, I'm tall/athletic, muscular, and in good health aside from controlled asthma that predated the sugar-free era. Meanwhile my Dad who drank sugar sodas and ate sugar deserts was already obese and diagnosed with diabetes by age 40. He still struggles with diabetes sometimes, but far less now that he's spent a few years on a keto diet and only consumes sugar alcohol products. Cheers.
|
|
|
Post by vangogh on Apr 24, 2024 17:05:18 GMT -5
I have made several batches of bean to bar chocolate using allulose as a sweetener. The results have been "OK" but still not completely happy with them. I think next I will experiment with 1/2 sugar and 1/2 allulose to see if I am happier with the results. You are right-"have fun" and "enjoy". Have you tried Erythritol? Give it a closer look. It seems to be the most popular choice for sugar-free chocolate bars. This is allulose, erythritol, stevia blend is also looking promising: www.walmart.com/ip/Splenda-Magic-Baker-Zero-Calorie-Granulated-Sugar-Substitute-16-oz-Resealable-Pouch/519209271
|
|
|
Post by vangogh on Apr 24, 2024 17:08:36 GMT -5
Nobody is particularly religiously against it, the issue is really down to technical aspects, artificial sweeteners don't really work in chocolate. However, many have tried, and come up with a few reasonable results. If you use the search function for the forums you should be able to find them. From memory, the best results came from using a blend of different sweeteners. But also, if it's legal/available in your area, you might want to look into allulose and see if that meets your requirements. Have you seen this? Allulose, erythritol, stevia blend. Still experimenting with it, but so far so good. Pure Erythritol is pretty nice too: www.walmart.com/ip/Splenda-Magic-Baker-Zero-Calorie-Granulated-Sugar-Substitute-16-oz-Resealable-Pouch/519209271
|
|
|
Post by Chip on Apr 24, 2024 18:00:47 GMT -5
vangogh, Sorry, but I have had 8 people from my close family suffer terrible gas and (some had) diarrhea from sugar alcohols. Xylitol, erythritol, and other "ols." I made 5 pounds of chocolate and took it to my church for my parishioners who asked for them. All 12 of them came back with "terrible gas" stories, some of them absolutely hilarious! So that's 20 people I personally know that have suffered these after effects. Sucralose and splenda, as well as some of the other plant based non-cane sugars seem to do quite well with most people. I am not arguing the negative impact of cane sugar at all. I am simply stating that for many people, sugar alcohols cause gastrointestinal distress. From my, albeit small, personal sampling I stand by that statement. And I am 70, am 5'11" tall and weigh 180 pounds. I regularly use splenda in my tea, coffee and baked goods I make. Have I had health issues? Absolutely. Many of them associated with my time after being drafted in 1971. One last note: I am not saying that all people suffer from adverse effects from sugar alcohols. Maybe it's just the crowd I hang out with. Another thought: sugar alcohols often cause explosive gastrointestinal results. Sorry but your statement is a classic misrepresentation of the facts, as evidenced by the words "often" and "explosive". Most sugar alcohols rarely cause any impact whatsoever when consumed in reasonable amounts, which is why they are now prevalent in countless products at every major grocery store. The few that are linked to varying degrees of mild upset like Xylitol only cause these issues for a subset of people and only above moderate quantities. Meanwhile sugar is indisputably linked to diabetes -- a disease now affecting 38.4 million Americans or 11.6% of the population. Diabetes is currently rated #8 in the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. I just had half of an excellent Erythritol chocolate bar after lunch yesterday and zero, zip, zilch GI impact. Also had sucralose-sweetened tea for breakfast, same w/coffee for lunch, an aspartame Mt. Dew on ice after dinner, and finally a big bowl of Maltitol-sweetened Bryer's sugar-free vanilla ice cream for desert with splendra-sweetened sugar free whip cream and the remaining half of that chocolate bar crushed and sprinkled on top. I had precisely zero GI issues at any point during the day or night, and that entire routine is roughty what I've consumed daily for years. I'm 46, weigh 145lbs, I'm tall/athletic, muscular, and in good health aside from controlled asthma that predated the sugar-free era. Meanwhile my Dad who drank sugar sodas and ate sugar deserts was already obese and diagnosed with diabetes by age 40. He still struggles with diabetes sometimes, but far less now that he's spent a few years on a keto diet and only consumes sugar alcohol products. Cheers.
|
|