The Splenda World of Sweetness: Recipes for Homemade Desserts and Delicious Drinks    by Splenda & Alison Miksch Order:  USA  Can Chronicle, 2006 (2006) Softcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Most people are familiar with the little yellow Splenda sweetener packets that have been available in restaurant condiment bowls for many years. As North Americans continue fighting the battle of the expanding waistline, we're being urged to cut back on processed foods and sugars. The makers of Splenda are now offering both a sugar and a brown sugar blend that completely negates having to use regular sugar and gives cooks a new range of choices and possibilities for creating sweet-tasting desserts for family and friends. The authors explain that 'there are two forms of Spenda ... the familiar packets, pre-measured for sweetening beverages and sprinkling on food. Each packet provides the sweetness of two teaspoons of sugar. Splenda Granulated Sweetener measures cup for cup just like sugar, and works well to replace sugar's sweetness in cheesecakes, pie fillings, quick breads, muffins, and cookies. However, the cooking properties are different from sugar ... when adapting your own recipes from sugar to Splenda some adjustments should be made.' To help you make those adjustments there's a helpful section at the beginning of this book that shows you how to make those alterations to your favorite recipes as well as a substitution chart. Now on to the actual recipes: you might want to start out slowly by whipping up beverages like Iced Mocha Latte, Cantaloupe Agua Fresca or Mexican Spiced Coffee. If you'd rather forge right to the section that offers dozens of recipes for Special Occasion Cakes then you're in for treats like Applesauce Gingerbread or Lemon Velvet Layer Cake. If you'd prefer leaping ahead to Quick Breads, Muffins & Coffee Cakes you'll have choices like: Caramel Sticky Buns, Dried Cherry & Almost Scones or Zucchini Walnut Bread. Are you more in the mood for Pies and Tarts? Then try these luscious creations - Banana Cream Tart, Mango Mojito Pie or Cranberry Walnut Tartlets. Additional sections cover Cookies, Cheesecakes, Fruit Desserts and Custards, and Puddings & Other Spoon Desserts. There's a final section where some of the Food Network's celebrity chefs offer up a selection of their own more complicated Splenda creations like Kevin Rathbun's Apple-Mint Strudel and Hans Rockenwagner's Macaroons With Lemon Creme. The makers of Splenda have put together a complete and tempting cookbook filled with dozens of recipes, from the simple to the more complex. Plenty of eye-pleasing color photographs enhance this volume and keep your taste buds salivating. Even so, using Splenda may not be for everyone. If you're a stickler for the consistency and taste that good old-fashioned sugar gives baked goods, desserts and beverages, there's no getting around the fact that cooking with Splenda will take some getting used to. I also discovered that Splenda is rather pricey, so this is another consideration for anyone who does a lot of baking. On the other hand, if you and your family are making a serious effort to watch your sugar and calorie intake, then The Splenda World of Sweetness might be just what the doctor - and your waistline - ordered. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews