thick beautiful syrups- low carb?
 

okay, i splurged and bought a container of atkins maple syrup the other day (because i found a wonderful way to low-carb french toast, and its not the same without maple flavor, and because i miss it something terrible with my breakfast sausage- i only ever bought the maple flavored ones before!)

...and it was thin, and runny, and tasted just like the vanilla flavoring syrup i bought of atkins, only with a VERY slight maple twinge to it! man oh man... (no, this isnt a product review, its a cry for help!)

does anyone know of a way to make thick, syrupy liquids on this WOL? is there a product in low-carb existance that either"
a) approximates honey or syrup in its consistancy, or
b) can thicken or "syrup-ize" something i whip up at home that tastes right but hasnt got the right texture-

OR

am i just tough out of luck?

thanks in advance!

I use a brand called Cozy Cottage, from the supermarket. I've found that just about ANY kind is better than the Atkins!!!

For thickening, I use Thick-n-Thin NotStarch, a blend of vegetable gums that adds zero carbs, since they're all from fiber. You can get from a syrupy consistancy, to a pudding texture with it.

I don't know if you have it in the US or not, but I have used Cary's (or is it Carey's?) and found it very good.

potato- have you ever tried steel's gourmet anything? they are awfully pricey, but if the texture's right, as it *claims* to be, perhaps it would be worth it.
i have heard about the notStarch, but i have been offset about the price (netrition has it in a huge quantity for a huge price) because i had not known anyone who could testify for sure about its effectiveness. does it have to be cooked to work, or could it thicken, for instance, a salad dressing?

I saw Carey's brand at our grocery store (Safeway) just tonight. Only $2.99 a bottle. I didn't purchase any though so can't vouch for the flavor.

Jaimie

Paradox
This doesn't address the thickness but I've found that if I melt some butter in the LC syrups they taste better. But, I never was a real syrup lover, so what do I know. I always ate my breakfast needing syrup things with powdered sugar and or fruits. Since I've kicked the sweet cravings I can use just the fruits. I put some berries and splenda in a bowl and micro them. It makes a nice fruit compote for my SO.

imhere- ditto on the fruit stuffs! i live way up north in the pacific northwest, where our weeds are blackberries! they grow in the sidewalk, on the side of the road, in every yard (where they aren't being valiantly battled) and in every gulley. needless to say, for a few hours a couple days in fall, i have a freezer full of beautiful gems to last me through the dark winter's lack of produce. i blend them up frozen to serve with my whipped cream, i melt a few with some splenda to top my cheesecakes with- but the mixture is a little too juice-y, and i would like to find a thickener for it when i'm not using them in a context where they can be served frozen or darn near. good idea about the butter- i can use the current syrup i have that way until i manage to part with my money for some notStarch...

are Carey's or Cozy Cottage sweetened with sugar alc's? or splenda, or otherwise?

Haven't tried the Steel's stuff. Walden Farms has a good 0carb chocolate syrup, though.

One pouch of the notStarch lasted me nearly a year!! You only use a wee little bit (as I learned in the inaugural gravy attempt.....<shudder>) It works in hot or cold things.

Some people use xanthan gum (a component of the notStarch) for thickening salad dressings. Maybe you can find a thread unter the recipe forum "tips and techniques" section?

thanks, potatofree! you're a pal! *hunkers down and prepares to part the wallet*

I bought Maple Grove Farms syrup at Cracker Barrel the other night and I think is is excellent. It's not really thick, but I think it is very much like real maple syrup, which isn't very thick. If it's taste you are looking for, I think you would be pleased with the maple flavor. I notice you are in WA, so you may not have Cracker Barrel restaurants there. Maple Grove Farms is in Vermont according to the label. Another thing I thought of is this - you can buy maple flavoring at the grocery store. I haven't checked, but my guess is, it probably has no carbs. You could add a little to some of the syrup you already have and see if that helps at all.

paradox
I have not tried it yet but I was looking for same thing.
http://www.naturesflavors.com/produ...roducts_id=2851

naturesflavors. Looks promising and lots of flavor additives too

Hi Paradox--

I have to agree...the Atkins syrup is a grave disappointment. For the budget conscious, and if you are not subject to problems with sugar alcohols, the Log Cabin Sugar-Free has the same taste as the Log Cabin Lite. Not thick, but very satisfying on french toast. If you haven't tried them yet, also avoid the Atkins pancake mix. Nasty stuff!

I use the log-cabin. Beware though, what usually gives those syrups thickness like your looking fo ris sugar alcohols. The Atkins syrup is runny, but no SA's just splenda :)

I had the same reaction to the atkins maple syrup but swirling a ton of butter into it vastly improves it.

I did a search and found a recipe for you:

Ingredients
Sweetener for 2 cups sugar
2 tb Maple flavour
2 cups water
about 1/2 ts guar gum

Preparing
Heat water with sweetener and flavour, util boiling. Add the guar gum to thicken
the mixture.

Mind you, I haven't tried it, but it is very similar to the recipe I used with real sugar. The trick to thick is to cook away some of the liquid. The longer you cook the thicker it gets. :yay: