food_porn: Cherry Pie Filling, with a catch

mrssgreenleaf (

mrssgreenleaf) wrote in

food_porn,
@ 2008-01-23 21:36:00

Cherry Pie Filling, with a catch
Hey everyone!

I've been hoping to make fresh cherry pie for a pretty, homey dessert. But there's a slight catch: one of our dinner guests is diabetic, and I do not want to add ANY sugar to the pie beyond the natural sweetness of the fruit.

I'm not sure just throwing a bunch of pitted cherries in a pie crust is going to do it. What should I add to enhance the cherry flavor that doesn't involve the full cup of sugar I've been constantly reading in cherry pie recipes online?

Thanks in advance! :D

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scienceguru
2008-01-24 06:04 am UTC (link)

You could use Splenda...

But also, you could add lemon zest and some lemon juice. At Christmas, I wanted to make a dessert that my dad and I could eat (we are both diabetic) so I cheated and used a canned sugarfree cherry pie filling to which I added Meyer lemon zest and juice and it made a really great cherry pie.

The lemon zest and juice added a nice tartness to the cherries without being too tart.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

mrssgreenleaf
2008-01-24 06:20 am UTC (link)

Splenda I would have gone for had I not had bad experiences with baking with Splenda in the past. I've used it as substitutes in cookies and muffins, and unfailingly it initially tastes quite good until you realize there's a very bitter aftertaste.

Am I doing something wrong or have you noticed that too when baking with Splenda?

The lemon juice and zest sounds like a great idea. :D

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	moriath 2008-01-24 01:16 pm UTC (link)
	Have you used the baking blend? My mom swears by the baking blend and I haven't noticed any weird taste with that one. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 04:03 pm UTC (link)
	I don't want to use the baking blend because I've noticed it contains some real sugar. I'm sure it works very well in baking partly because of that. I might try it for myself even though I'm not diabetic, just to cut down on my own sugar consumption. Thanks for the suggestion :) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	badseed1980 2008-01-24 01:41 pm UTC (link)
	Splenda works best in baking when you don't put it in a dough- or batter-based thing, I think. It's usually ok in pie filling or cheesecakes. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 04:05 pm UTC (link)
	Didn't know that... I might put a little in the filling then, just to taste. I've never tried to make cheesecake or pie filling with Splenda before, but because of my problems with putting it in batter/dough, I've been really hesistant towards it and baking. Thanks for the info! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	a_rockett 2008-01-24 06:05 am UTC (link)
	Add a little frozen orange juice concentrate or apple sauce to the pitted cherries, and just add a little extra cornstarch to make it gel. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 06:21 am UTC (link)
	Thank you for your suggestion. I'm going to try a little lemon juice as suggested above, plus your suggestion of extra cornstarch and a small amount of orange juice. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

enchantedbedlam
2008-01-24 06:41 am UTC (link)

be careful with orange juice as it is SUPER high in sugar.

most diabetics use it to bring up their sugar if it gets too low, as it works very quickly. i can't even drink orange juice most of the time because it makes my sugar sky rocket. as most orange juices have added sugar, you could use no sugar added orange juice or even fresh squeezed orange juice, and that would keep the sugar count lower.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 04:07 pm UTC (link)
	I think I will use a tablespoon or two for the entire pie, just for some nice citrusy taste. Hopefully our guest won't eat the entire pie ;) so the orange juice won't be adding a lot of sugar, slice by slice. Since I'm only using a little bit, I could just freshly squeeze one orange, as you suggested. Thank you! (Reply to this)(Parent)

pagawne
2008-01-24 06:18 am UTC (link)

Here is what I did for my Mother-in-Love, who is also a diabetic. She loved it.
6 cups cherries, pitted and halved
1 1/2 tsp. all spice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 tbs Splenda
2 tbs corn starch
2 tsp butter (yes, real, cold unsalted butter), but into 6 small pieces

Mix everything but the butter in a bowl and toss well. Then pour onto an open pie crust laid flat on a baking sheet. Fold up edges and sorta gather the crust around the cherries. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, and check to see if it browning too much. If it is, cover the edges with foil, turn done the temp to 350 d3grees and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

I know it sounds complicated, but it really isn't. While cooking for my Mother-in-Love, I found out that you also have to be careful about all kinds of things. The crust is as dangerous as adding pure sugar would be.
It works well with apples( I add apple pie spices and 1/4 cup finely chopped ginger, and oh, boy is it good), pears, peaches (just cinnamon and cloves), and various berries and mixed fruit. It works with just one crust just fine.

My husband still prefers this with double crusts, but understands the why of the situation. I wish you luck in you efforts.

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	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 06:23 am UTC (link)
	You're awesome! Will do the butter and nutmeg suggestion (don't have any allspice, don't care for Splenda in baking). The crust I'm making myself: flour, butter, salt water and that's it. Store bought crusts are so much help but they have sugar. Thank you! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

monsterbrain
2008-01-24 07:10 am UTC (link)

It's not so much that the crust would contain sugar-- Flour contains carbs, which the body turns into sugar.

White flour is metabolized very quickly, which can send a diabetic's blood sugar up too fast.

You might be able to mitigate crust's carbs bit by using whole-wheat flour (the fiber helps slow down digestion a little) or adding some protein somehow. (I'm not great at baking, so I don't know how that would be accomplished!)

(Reply to this)(Parent)

monsterbrain
2008-01-24 07:05 am UTC (link)

FYI, the Splenda 'baking blend' does contain some sugar. But it still contains fewer grams of sugar/carbs than using and equal measurement of cane or beet sugar.

If I were you, I wouldn't worry too much about adding NO sugar; just reduce as much as you can.

The main thing though, is letting your diabetic friend know ahead of time what your menu will include. Diabetics can often eat a little bit of even super-sweet desserts, if they know ahead of time (so that they can adjust their insulin/medication dosages) and have lower-carb foods to eat for the rest of the meal.

For example, if I know that I'm going to enjoy some dessert after the meal (lower-sugar or not) I might only have a taste of potatoes and focus on protein and low-carb veggies for the rest of the meal. And I might take more insulin before the meal, if I have enough notice.

Also keep in mind that sugars hide in condiments and sauces. For example, ketchups, barbecue sauces and salad dressings often contain corn syrup. So instead of dressing the salad with bottled French dressing, you might opt for balsamic and olive oil instead. (Or offer a choice.)

As a diabetic, I really appreciate you making an effort to accommodate your diabetic friend's needs. You rock! :D

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	lsdiamond 2008-01-24 02:22 pm UTC (link)
	TOTALLY off-topic; your icon is made of win. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	monsterbrain 2008-01-24 06:40 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks! You can take, with credit to aquamarcia. :) Edited at 2008-01-24 06:40 pm UTC (Reply to this)(Parent)

mrssgreenleaf
2008-01-24 04:13 pm UTC (link)

Thank you for the advice. The main dish will be a roast chicken with lemons and lots of vegetables (onions, leeks). I did plan to make garlic mashed potatoes (CARBS!) which our non-diabetic guests will enjoy, but I'll add some other low-carb veggie dish specifically for the guest as well. I'll try to pick up some whole wheat dinner rolls somewhere too, and make sure it hasn't been colored with corn syrup or something.

I sort of didn't want to tell my guest what I'm making in advance because its sort of a surprise get together :) I thought I could get around it by asking knowledgable others what foods would be acceptable for diabetics instead.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

monsterbrain
2008-01-24 06:39 pm UTC (link)

Whole wheat dinner rolls are slightly more preferable to white flour dinner rolls, but your guest still might prefer to save the carbs for dessert. It's nice to have them available, though! (I suggested the whole wheat flour for the crust because you can't really make a pie without any crust at all.)

Even if you don't tell her exactly what you're making, general info would probably still be appreciated. For example "I don't want to give away the surprise, but we're having a roasted meat dish, a starchy side dish, a low-carb vegetable side, whole-grain bread, and a fruit dessert that I'm trying to make with less sugar and with whole-wheat flour."

And if she doesn't eat much (or any) of something, please don't be offended. Sometimes no matter how delicious something is, we just shouldn't eat too much of it, if we're trying to keep balanced.

Again, you are awesome! That all sounds really good! *drool* :D

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	fiercereaper 2008-01-24 07:24 am UTC (link)
	Stevia extract is 10 times more sweet than sugar and is 100% diabetic safe. You can find it in health and natural food stores. (Reply to this)(Thread)

monsterbrain
2008-01-24 09:32 am UTC (link)

I use stevia for that purpose sometimes, but it's not approved by the U.S. government for use as a sweetener.

Until it is, I'd be reluctant to serve it to guests unless I know for a fact that they are educated about the issue and are okay with this "off-label" use.

Again, I use stevia myself. But if I went to someone's house and they tried to feed me something that they'd laced with an unregulated herbal supplement just because it tasted good... I'd be a quite offended and a little scared.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	sionainn 2008-01-24 05:33 pm UTC (link)
	Very well stated. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	fiercereaper 2008-01-24 05:37 pm UTC (link)
	Then inform them before cooking? I've introduced more than one diabetic friend to it, and they've all been extremely excited at the prospect. I wouldn't hold your breath on it being approved anytime soon, since the sugar industry is most likely going to try and quash that as much as possible. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

monsterbrain
2008-01-24 06:53 pm UTC (link)

If you talk to them about it and encourage them to do research beforehand, and get their okay to make sure they're up for it before cooking them something with stevia in it... Then sure.

I learned about it from a friend, and he told me where in town I could buy it, and that I should Google "stevia" and learn about it.

If, however, I'd been invited to his house and offered something containing stevia and that was the first time I'd heard of it, I'd be put in a really awkward and uncomfortable position-- Turn down something he made for me and offend him, or consume an herbal supplement that I know absolutely nothing about and that was being foisted upon me?

I'm not sure I buy into the whole sugar industry theory. Some companies are selling stevia as a supplement and making a profit at it. It's just a matter of time before a company puts up the huge money for FDA testing so that they can sell it as a sweetener.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fiercereaper 2008-01-24 07:26 pm UTC (link)
	Well I wasn't suggesting baking it and not telling them anywhere. ;) That would be dirty. Do you buy it processed or have you grown it? I have some in my garden every year and it's pretty convenient, particularly for home grown herbal tea mixes. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	monsterbrain 2008-01-24 07:31 pm UTC (link)
	LOL yeah kinda shady! ;D I'm still working my way through a 1 oz. bottle of powder! I keep a little metal nut pick inside the bottle, so that I can 'spoon' out teeny tiny amounts for my beverages and such. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	aggiebell 2008-01-24 07:46 am UTC (link)
	That's beautiful porn. Thank you. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 04:13 pm UTC (link)
	You're welcome! (Reply to this)(Parent)

hobbitblue
2008-01-24 10:55 am UTC (link)

I'd ask your diabetic guest in advance actually, what diabetic folk can eat varies, I'd have to avoid the pie completely as I can't handle cooked fruit, my dad (also diabetic) would be just fine, he'd also be fine with splenda or other sweetener, me not. Once you've asked, it might be you end up making the usual pie and your guest gets to enjoy a lovely bowl of fresh cherries instead...

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	deadlychameleon 2008-01-24 01:24 pm UTC (link)
	Seconded. Some diabetic folks I've known would be fine with a small slice of normal pie, some folks, as hobbitblue suggests, would have problems with the cooked fruit in and of itself (fruit is rather high in sugar). Either way, please inform your guests if you use Splenda, there are some of us who try to avoid it despite the FDA status. You just can't please everyone. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 04:15 pm UTC (link)
	I saw my guest eat a small piece of normal apple pie a week ago, and that's why I got the idea of making a more diabetic-friendly pie-- one they could enjoy in somewhat bigger amounts. My guest, though diabetic, is okay for some pie. Thanks for your concern! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lola_joan 2008-01-24 02:19 pm UTC (link)
	A bit of vanilla or almond extract will help make it seem sweeter... And here's a crazy idea that I've never tried, but might theoretically work: you could try roasting some of the cherries first, thus caramelizing their natural sugars and making them seem sweeter. It would be a rather different kind of pie if you tried that though... (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 04:18 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks for the suggestion! I've read a lot of cherry pie recipes that suggest almond extract. I'm sure it would help the filling taste better, but I'm hesitant as to how mixing the citrus flavors of lemon juice, orange juice with almond extract might taste-- even better? Somehow a little off? Vanilla might be a safer bet than almond...? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lola_joan 2008-01-24 04:33 pm UTC (link)
	mm. well, i'm of the opinion that almond goes with everything, but that might just be me. like, almond is the new vanilla. lol. but seriously, almond is really lovely with most fruits - citrus included. in fact, if you just google "lemon almond" and "orange almond" you'll get zillions of yummy-sounding recipe suggestions. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lsdiamond 2008-01-24 02:21 pm UTC (link)
	Afraid I haven't much helpful advice, as Splenda has never given me problematic flavor issues. (I find the aftertaste of sugar more bothersome for some reason) BUT, that picture...it's so very sexy I just had to come appreciate it awhile. Will we get an update on how the lemon juice mix helped or hindered? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mrssgreenleaf 2008-01-24 04:16 pm UTC (link)
	Definitely! (Reply to this)(Parent)

	zenith_the_high 2008-01-24 04:12 pm UTC (link)
	Agave is a great sweetener and very low on the glycemic index (Reply to this)(Thread)

	pateo 2008-01-25 04:54 am UTC (link)
	Seconded! Or brown rice syrup. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	fools_trifle 2008-01-24 04:47 pm UTC (link)
	Simple suggestion: substitute ground almonds for 1/3 - ½ of the flour required in the crust. :) (Reply to this)

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