How to make healthier confectionery

I''m sure we''ve all had at least one occasion when, while eating a crumbly butter biscuit, we wondered if we could have another one, or if we''d overindulged enough for the day. The problem is usually caused by the classic ingredients we use in baking, such as white wheat flour, white sugar, fat and so on. But these can easily be replaced by other ingredients. So why not make your confectionery not only taste great next time, but also a little healthier? Here are some useful tips for you to try out.

Avoid white wheat flour

White wheat flour is still the most commonly used flour and this is also true for baking confectionery. If you really want to use wheat flour, replace white flour with wholemeal flour. But there are also many other alternatives that can be substituted. The first of these is spelt flour. Compared to wheat flour, it is easier to digest, has fewer calories and much more protein. In baking, spelt flour can be substituted entirely for wheat flour.

Kamut flour, which is suitable for those with wheat allergies, is also increasingly gaining ground on the market.

Kamut flour, which is suitable for wheat allergy sufferers but is also very filling and, like spelt flour, can replace wheat flour entirely. However, when using kamut flour, care should always be taken to add a little more liquid and to leave it to rise for a little longer.

The next alternative is coconut flour. It is high in fibre and gluten-free, but unfortunately we cannot replace it entirely in recipes, but only with ¼. Oat flour has similar properties, but it cannot be used alone and, like coconut flour, is gluten-free. Of course, you can also use other flours such as buckwheat, rice, rye, etc.

Use healthy sweeteners instead of white sugar

White sugar is the one that is the most calorific and is used the most. Unfortunately, brown sugar is also almost calorie-free, so instead of white and brown sugar you can use different natural sweeteners that are less calorie-dense and healthier for your body. A natural, ancient sweetener called stevia is becoming more and more well-known. It contains zero calories and is very sweet, as one teaspoon of its extract replaces a whole cup of sugar, so we must be very careful when dosing it.

One sweetener that can also be used is agave syrup. It looks like honey but is much sweeter than honey and has a low glycaemic index. It can completely replace sugar in baking. Lucuma can also be used as a natural sweetener. Lucuma is a South American fruit that tastes similar to the mango we are all familiar with. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Of course, there are many other sweeteners on the market that can be used to replace white sugar.

Instead of cow''s milk, use plant milk

As cow''s milk contains a lot of macaobes, you can find different types of plant milk on the market. Of course, these are only suitable for vegetarians, vegans and people who are lactose sensitive. Cow''s milk can be replaced by soya milk, which is the closest in protein content. There is also hemp milk, which is easily digestible and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Almond milk is also often featured in recipes for raw desserts and can be made at home. It is one of the healthier types of milk and tastes great and is full of protein, calcium and vitamin E. Of course, we should not forget oat milk, which is cholesterol-free and full of fibre, vitamins and photochemicals that are very healthy for our bodies. Oat milk is also easy to make yourself.

Finally, here is a recipe for delicious, precise and healthy hazelnut biscuits with cocoa.

You will need:

• 200 g medjool dates
• 200 g hazelnuts
• 50 g cocoa butter
• 50 g cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp vanilla

The recipe is very short and simple. First, grind the hazelnuts into flour. This is easiest done in a coffee grinder. Then mix it with the dates, cocoa powder, melted cocoa butter and vanilla until smooth. Add the cocoa nibs to the mixture and stir again. Using your hands, shape the mixture into biscuits as large as you like and place them in the fridge for a few hours. Our healthy biscuits are ready.