Naturally Sweet: Bake All Your Favorites with 30% to 50% Less Sugar

The Massachusetts-based America’s Test Kitchen, home to Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines, is the experienced culinary force behind this guide to baking with less sugar. Prep for home bakers include essential information such as a substitution chart and a breakdown of the science of sugar. The “outs,” sweeteners that didn’t make the cut, include brown rice syrup and agave nectar (with the deciding factors being inconsistent flavor profiles and lack of flavor). Tempting baked goods include an apple-cinnamon Danish sweetened with coconut sugar and preserves; chocolate chip cookies made with sucanat; and a maple layer cake full of syrup. The refreshing raspberry sorbet relies on the fruit itself for sweetness. Step-by-step photos walk readers through techniques such as baking a pie and rolling out scones. For those who want to indulge without overdoing, these 120 recipes are a great starting point. (Aug.)