Sweet Nothings

I have noticed that there are a few of us South of the Equator who are trying to slim down a little in preparation for summer. The biggest problem for me when I am cutting calories is my love for sweet things. I can think of nothing better than finishing off my meal with a luxurious dessert.

Increasing numbers of people are being diagnosed with diabetes. Lifestyle adjustments and self-care also play a large role in the treatment of diabetes over time. Never the less this does not stop people craving sweet things.

In my quest to create food that appeals to all, regardless of their dietary requirements, I started looking into baking with sugar replacements. I have used Xylitol very successfully in baking and so I decided to look into other products to see if they meet the manufacturer's promises.

This berry crumble is made using Huletts Sugalite. I am very happy with the result and will definitely use it again. It is rather expensive, but then it seems the norm that any "health" product comes at a premium.

Berry Crumble (Adapted from here)

Filling
500ml Berries (I used youngberries from Swellendam)
30ml Sugarlite
15ml Corn Flour

Topping
125ml (1/2 cup) Cake Flour
100ml (85g) Sugalite
125ml (1/2 cup) Lower GI Oats
50g Low-fat Margarine ( I used Flora Extra light)

Filling:

1. Place the berries in a 23cm greased pie dish. Sprinkle with Sugalite and cornflour.

Topping:

1. Sift flour, add the Sugalite and the oats. Melt the margarine and add it to the dry ingredients. The crumble should be fairly coarse.
2. Sprinkle the crumble over the apples and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for about 20 minutes, or until topping turns light brown and crisp.
   
3. Serve with diabetic custard