Tasty biscuits with less / no sugar and less fat.
Is that possible?
Tasty biscuits with less / no sugar and less fat. Is that possible?
Usually, biscuits contain a lot of sugar and fat to make them nice and tasty. For a healthier variant, the sugar can be partly or entirely replaced by maltitol, and at the same time, the fat content can be decreased. Normally, this would result in a tough biscuit, but not with Sisterna sucrose esters!
Sisterna SP70 makes a low or no sugar biscuit less tough and gives it an excellent brittleness and good volume. The biscuit tastes clean and sweet. The biscuit with SP70 is not extra fragile, as it remains somewhat flexible. The eating properties are almost comparable to a full-sugar biscuit.
Adding sucrose esters results in smaller crystals, and softer, smoother eating properties.
How do sucrose esters work?
Crystallisation
Sucrose esters have an effect on the crystallisation of sucrose, but also polyols. Adding sucrose esters results in smaller crystals and softer, smoother eating properties. Polyols tend to form larger crystals than sucrose, so with sucrose esters, the crystal size is similar to the full-sugar option.
Sweetness
Sucrose esters result in smaller crystals (sucrose as well as maltitol), and smaller crystals dissolve quicker in the saliva when eaten. This gives a sweeter impression. Sucrose esters themselves are very neutral in taste.
Starch
Sucrose esters interact with starch, and they delay gelatinisation and retrogradation. This means that the dough can rise and spread a little longer during baking (till a higher temperature), which results in a larger volume and contributes to a more airy and brittle texture.
Proteins
Sucrose esters interact with protein and improve the flexibility and gas holding capacity of the gluten network. This means that the dough can rise to a higher volume during baking, which also contributes to a more airy and brittle texture.
Recipe shortbread biscuit
Ingredients % w/w |
Low sugar |
No added sugar |
Pastry flour |
47 |
47 |
Shortening/fat |
16 |
16 |
Sucrose |
10.5 |
0 |
Maltitol |
10 |
20.5 |
Inulin |
3 |
3 |
Skim milk powder |
0.6 |
0.6 |
Salt |
0.5 |
0.5 |
Sisterna SP70 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
Water |
To 100% |
To 100% |
Method of preparation |
· Disperse sucrose esters in a small part of the water · (Disperse sucrose in the rest of the water) · Cream fat, inulin and emulsifier in a Hobart, 1 min. speed 1 · Add flour and mix, 1 min. speed 1 · Add maltitol, salt and milk powder and mix, 2 min. speed 1 · Add the sucrose solution or the water · Dough rest for 20 min. at room temperature · Sheet the dough and cut round pieces · Bake 10 - 12 min. at 200˚C (top) and 180˚C (bottom) · Cool and pack at room temperature |
To the best of our knowledge, information and belief, the information and recommendations in this publication are accurate at the date of publication. Nothing herein is to be construed as warranty expressed or implied. In all cases, it is the responsibility of users to determine the applicability of such information or the suitability of any products for their own particular purpose.
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