Sugar Free Chocolate

Chocolate has been one of the favorite treats of people all over the globe, for decades or perhaps even centuries now. It is not just loved by children anymore, but also by teenagers, young adults and elderly people. Apart from its appealing taste, studies also indicate that the consumption of chocolate can improve a person’s overall mood and boost his or her levels of energy. Because of this, chocolate is not only one of the most preferred foods in the world, but it is also one of the most widely studied foods. Till a decade or two ago, chocolate was mainly available in a few limited flavors and types.

However, different people are bound to have varying tastes and because of the wide demand for a variety in chocolate, several chocolate manufacturing companies have started making a wide variety of different types and flavors in chocolate.

Unfortunately, it is a well known fact that regular chocolate is usually high in sugar, which is why people who are diabetic are supposed to avoid chocolate strictly. However, in today’s world even those who are diabetic need to refrain from their favorite treat completely. People with high levels of blood sugar can enjoy sugar free chocolate, or sugar free candy, on a few occasions. Since there is a growing awareness of health and fitness in today’s world there are some chocolate makers that produce low carb chocolate, which is now easily available in most stores.

Due to the fact that most of the chocolate that is available in stores now is sweet in taste, the term “sugar free chocolate recipes” may sound like an oxymoron. However, people should remember that in the earlier days, chocolate was mostly consumed in an unsweetened form, either, as a beverage or as a sauce. Hence, it is possible for people to enjoy chocolate, without adding sugar or any other harmful sweeteners to it. Moreover, since diabetes is one of the most common and fastest growing epidemics in United States as well as other parts of the world, there is a very high demand for sugar free chocolate and candy, as they are believed to satisfy a person’s sweet cravings, without causing too much damage. This is why, apart from sugar free chocolate bars, there are several dessert making companies that try out other sugar free chocolate recipes, some of which include sugar free chocolate cake, sugar free chocolate chip cookies, sugar free chocolate syrup, sugar free chocolate milk, sugar free chocolate frosting, sugar free dark chocolate and sugar free chocolate pie, just to name a few. There are several private chocolate makers too, who prepare different types of desserts, using sugar free chocolate ingredients. Given below are a few common sugar free chocolate recipes:

Sugar free chocolate truffles recipe

There are several ways in which sugar free chocolate truffles can be made at home and some recipes are a bit more complicated than the others. One of the easier recipes for sugar free chocolate truffles includes:

Ingredients:

• Unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped:    8 ounces
• Coffee:         ¼ cup
• Butter, cut into small squares:     2/3 stick
• Egg yolks, lightly beaten:      2
• Vanilla bean, seeded and split:     1 bean
• Unsweetened powdered cocoa:      ¼ cup
• Artificial sweetener:       2 cups

Preparation:

• Take a large baking dish (microwave safe) and place the unsweetened chocolate, coffee, butter, eggs and vanilla bean into it.
• Lightly blend all the ingredients together, so that the chocolate is moistened. Place the dish in the oven for around 3 minutes or until the chocolate melts.
• Remove the dish from the oven and add only one cup of the artificial sweetener to it, mixing all the ingredients well.
• Take the vanilla bean out of the mixture and then spread the mixture on a pan which has been lined either with wax paper or parchment. The entire pan needs to be placed in a refrigerator till the mixture firms up a bit.
• In a small bowl, place the cocoa powder, as well as the second cup of the artificial sweetener. This mixture needs to be kept for dusting the truffles.
• The truffle needs to be cut into small pieces and rolled into balls, using the hands. These truffles then should be rolled in dusting powder, one after the other.

The truffles are ready to eat and should be served at room temperature. These truffles can be stored in the refrigerator if necessary.

Sugar free chocolate cake recipe

Ingredients:

• Cocoa powder, unsweetened:      ¾ cup
• All purpose flour:        1 ¾ cup
• Eggs:          2
• Milk:          1 cup
• Canola oil:         ½ cup
• Vanilla extract:        2 teaspoons
• Baking powder:       1 ½ teaspoon
• Baking soda:        1 ½ teaspoon
• Artificial sweetener:        1 cup
• Hot water:        1 cup
• Sugar free chocolate chips (optional):     1 ounce

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and flour and grease two 9 inch round baking pans.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the milk, eggs, vanilla extract and oil.
• In another large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, which include the flour, the baking soda and baking powder. Gradually, add this mixture into the milk, eggs, vanilla and oil.
• Add the hot water and blend all the ingredients with an electric beater, before including the sugar free chocolate chips.
• Pour this mixture into a pan and bake it for around half an hour, testing it for readiness, using a toothpick.

Once baked, the cake needs to cool for at least half an hour or so before it can be served. Moreover, it can be eaten plain, or some sugar free chocolate syrup can be drizzled over it, to enhance the taste.

However, in spite of the fact that a sugar free chocolate bar does not contain sugar and cannot increase the levels of blood sugar in the body, diabetics cannot consume it on a regular basis. It is essential for a person to consult a doctor and check for the recommended doses of sugar free chocolate ingredients, before consuming any amount of it.

Submitted on January 17, 2014