Stevia is a popular natural sweetener that is extracted from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant. It contains steviol glycosides that provide a sweet taste but with almost no calories. Many people use stevia as an alternative to sugar to sweeten foods and beverages while reducing calorie and carbohydrate intake.
One question that often comes up with cooking and baking with stevia is whether it can be used to make caramel. Caramel is made by heating sugar at high temperatures until it liquefies, decomposes, and forms the characteristic caramel flavor and brown color. So an important question is whether stevia can caramelize like regular granulated sugar.
What is Stevia?
Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, which is native to South America. The leaves of the stevia plant contain various steviol glycosides that provide a sweet flavor around 200-300 times sweeter than regular sugar.
The main steviol glycosides contained in stevia include:
– Stevioside – the most abundant glycoside found in stevia leaves
– Rebaudioside A – the sweetest and usually purified steviol glycoside
– Rebaudioside C – less sweet than Rebaudioside A but with a more pleasant aftertaste
– Dulcoside A – provides a sweeter aftertaste
– Rubusoside – least sweet but most abundant after stevioside
Stevia extracts contain varying concentrations of these different steviol glycosides depending on how they are processed and purified. Rebaudioside A makes up the majority of most commercial stevia products.
Compared to regular table sugar (sucrose), stevia offers some advantages:
– Almost zero calories and carbohydrates
– Does not raise blood glucose levels
– Sweeter so smaller amounts needed
– Does not promote tooth decay
– Heat and pH stable
Stevia has become popular as a sugar substitute for low carb and ketogenic diets, diabetes management, and simply reducing sugar and calorie intake. It can be found in the form of green leaf stevia powder, liquid stevia extracts, granulated stevia, and stevia packets.
What is Caramelization?
Caramelization is a process that occurs when sugar is heated to high temperatures. It causes the sugar to liquefy, decompose, and take on a characteristic brown color and rich, somewhat bitter but aromatic flavor.
Specifically, when sucrose sugar is heated to temperatures between 320-360°F (160-182°C), it causes the sugar molecules to break down. The sucrose molecules split into the simple sugars glucose and fructose in a process called pyrolysis.
Further heating of the sugars causes three main reactions that create the flavor and color of caramel:
Caramelization – Glucose and fructose sugars decompose into hundreds of flavor compounds like maltol, furans, and caramelans. This creates the characteristic caramel flavor.
Carbonization – Heated sugar molecules break down further into acids, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters and aromatic hydrocarbons. These provide additional flavor compounds.
Maillard Reactions – Sugars react with amino acids to produce melanoidins which create a brown color. This is similar to what causes browning on cooked foods.
So in essence, caramelization is the thermal decomposition of sugars that creates the characteristic color, flavor, and texture of caramelized sugar. It relies on sucrose being broken down into fructose and glucose then undergoing further complex reactions.
Does Stevia Caramelize Like Sugar?
Since stevia does not contain either sucrose, glucose or fructose, it does not undergo the same caramelization process as regular granulated sugar.
Heating stevia extract to high temperatures does not cause it to liquefy, decompose, or take on a brown color. This is because the steviol glycosides in stevia are different in chemical structure compared to sucrose and other sugars.
Specifically, here are some reasons why stevia does not caramelize:
– Lack of sucrose – Sucrose is needed to break down into glucose and fructose which undergo pyrolysis and decomposition. Stevia does not contain sucrose.
– Different chemical structure – Steviol glycosides have a different molecular structure compared to sucrose and other sugars. They do not break down and react in the same way when heated.
– Very small amounts used – Due to its high sweetness, very small amounts of stevia are needed. This low concentration is not enough for caramelization reactions to occur.
– Less susceptible to pyrolysis – The glycosidic bond in steviol glycosides is not easily broken down by heat like the bond between glucose and fructose in sucrose.
– No carbonization or maillard reactions – Stevioside and rebaudiosides do not undergo the same reactions as glucose and fructose when heated to high temperatures.
So in summary, stevia lacks the key components like sucrose, glucose, and fructose that are needed for sugar caramelization via pyrolysis, carbonization and maillard reactions. The unique structure and properties of steviol glycosides prevent stevia from caramelizing.
Using Stevia in Caramel Recipes
Since stevia itself does not caramelize, it cannot directly replace sugar in traditional caramel recipes. However, stevia can still be incorporated into caramel in a few ways:
– Use stevia to replace up to 1/2 of the sugar in a caramel recipe. This reduces the calorie and carb content while still allowing enough regular sugar for caramelization.
– Add a small amount of stevia extract to already caramelized sugar to enhance sweetness after cooking.
– Pair stevia with another low carb sugar replacement like erythritol which can caramelize to some extent.
– Use stevia in the layer underneath the caramel, like in a cake or other dessert. This allows you to enjoy the flavor paired with caramel.
– Make a stevia simple syrup by dissolving stevia and water. Cook this to a high temperature but it will not caramelize. Use the concentrated liquid to enhance other caramel recipes.
The best results come from using stevia to replace just a portion of the sugar in a caramel rather than substituting it completely. This allows regular sugar to still caramelize while stevia adds extra sweetness.
Stevia Caramel Sauce Recipe
This stevia caramel sauce recipe uses both stevia and sugar to create a lower calorie caramel with the traditional texture and flavor:
Ingredients
– 1 cup white granulated sugar
– 1/4 cup water
– 1/4 tsp liquid stevia extract
– 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
– Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and stevia over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil without stirring. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken and take on a light golden color around 10-12 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the heavy cream and salt. Be careful as the caramel will rapidly boil when the cream is added.
4. Return to medium heat and simmer for 2-5 minutes until thickened to the desired consistency.
5. Let cool slightly before serving or storing. The caramel will continue to thicken as it cools.
This caramel sauce uses 1/4 cup less sugar than a traditional recipe by replacing it with stevia. The stevia does not caramelize but helps enhance sweetness while the sugar provides the necessary caramelization. Enjoy this lower calorie caramel drizzled over ice cream, fruit, or other desserts!
The Bottom Line
Stevia does not directly caramelize like sucrose and other sugars. This is because steviol glycosides have a different molecular structure that does not break down into glucose and fructose and undergo the same decomposition reactions when heated to high temperatures.
However, stevia can still be used to enhance caramel recipes by replacing up to half the sugar or incorporating stevia syrups. Small amounts of stevia can help reduce the calorie and carbohydrate content while regular sugar still provides the necessary caramelization. Combining stevia with sugar substitutes like erythritol is another way to make lower carb caramel.
So while stevia on its own doesn’t caramelize, using it creatively with sugar and other sweeteners can result in delicious caramel treats that are lower in calories and carbs!
References
[1] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/stevia-side-effects
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/stevia
[3] https://www.masterclass.com/articles/science-of-caramelization
[4] https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/articles/what-is-caramelization-what-does-caramelize-mean
[5] https://reluctantentertainer.com/stevia-conversion-chart/
[6] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/stevia-vs-sugar#what-it-is
[7] https://leslieknope.com/can-you-caramelize-stevia/
Conclusion
In conclusion, stevia lacks the sucrose, glucose and fructose needed to caramelize like regular sugar. However, incorporating small amounts of stevia extract into caramel recipes can help reduce their calorie and carbohydrate content while still allowing for delicious caramelization. Using stevia paired with sugar substitutes like erythritol provides another option for lower carb caramel desserts and treats. While stevia alone won’t caramelize, it can be an excellent addition to reduce the calories and glycemic impact of caramel sauces, candies and other sweet treats.