Decrease your sugar intake using pears as a sugar substitute

Maple syrup, molasses, honey, coconut sugar, agave syrup, and even dates are all great substitutes for sugar in the baking realm. However there are a few things to watch, including a raised risk of tooth decay, high blood sugar, and upset gut flora.

So what if we told you that there is another way? Pears. Yep, you heard right. Fresh, fat, juicy USA Pears.

Pureed pears are especially helpful when it comes to gluten-free baking, because they add moisture and texture, something that’s often lacking in a lot of gluten-free baked goods.

USA Anjou pears are also mild in flavour and colour, so they won’t overpower the flavour of your final baked product.

You'll be amazed the kind of recipes you can utilise the raw power of pureed pears for, from a a sugar substitute to feed the yeast in homemade gluten-free bread, in almost any breads, muffins and cakes, in pizza crusts, and in smoothies and juices.

The measurements

A standard sized pear, including all the goodness from the skin, will give you about 125g of puree.

When using the puree as a sugar it makes sense to reduce the amount — instead of using like for like — by about a quarter because the pear is a liquid and contains water.

Top tip

If you use over-ripe pears the sweeter the recipe will be, because the more ripe they are the higher the sugar content.

If you use an under-ripe pear the taste may not be the same.