Review: Dolcedi

Natural Low-Glycemic Sweetener From Organic Apples

Dolcedì’ is a new, all-natural liquid sweetener that’s made from 100% organic apples and is a low-glycemic* alternative to sugar and other sweeteners.

Dolcedì’ can be used any way you would use traditional table sugar or honey. Its neutral flavor enhances the taste of food and drinks without altering them. Dolcedì’ is also highly soluble in both cold and hot drinks and can be enjoyed with pancakes, on yogurt, in fruit salad, and in baking. With 25% fewer calories than table sugar and higher sweetening power (you just need ½ tsp vs. 1 tsp granulated sugar) Rigoni di Asiago Dolcedì’ is made from the concentrated and filtered sugar extracted from organic apples. It is certified USDA organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and STAR-KOSHER.

*Dolcedì’, with a GI value of 22.5**, is suitable for those who want to eat well, following a balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle.**GI = 22.5 +/- 5, determined as set out by the standardized method (ISO 26642:2010(E); FAO/ WHO Expert Consultation 1998; Wolever et al 2008.

About
Rigoni di Asiago® is a family-owned and operated business based in the Altopiano di Asiago, a mountain plateau in Northern Italy (90 miles north of Venice). Committed to sourcing the finest ingredients, their certified organic products include Fiordifrutta fruit preserves (the leading jam in Italy), Nocciolate hazelnut and chocolate spread, Dolcedì’ natural sweetener and Meilbio, honey from the best production areas of Italy.  The company was one of the first in Europe to turn to organic farming in the early 1990s and merit the Certified Organic label.

Find Rigoni di Asiago® products on Amazon or through the "Find a Store" search on their website. 

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Our Thoughts
Being into whole fresh foods and the nutrient-dense paleo way of eating, as you can imagine, I've tried a variety of natural sweeteners - including some that are fruit-based. Dolcedì’ is made from apples - that's it, nothing else added. Organic apples, at that! (Actually their whole company focuses on organic farming - one of the first in Italy to "go organic" - and sustainable, eco-friendly manufacturing processes.)

The first thing I did was taste Dolcedì’ all by itself.  It's a clear, thick syrup. The taste is pretty neutral, as promised. 

So let's see how it worked for me: it's suggested use is for teas, baking, and any other place you'd use sugar.  I don't drink much tea in the hot summers, and I've never been a fan of iced tea, so I skipped that option. 

The first recipe I made with Dolcedì’ was one I recently created and have been enjoying this summer, an avocado and ginger coleslaw dressing. 

This is a fully raw recipe, no cooking involved. My recipe calls for maple syrup, and the substitution ratio calls for the same amount.  Maple syrup of course has its own flavor; substituting it with Dolcedì’ didn't go quite as I expected.  The dressing was missing the full, round flavor maple syrup provides and actually left the dressing with a somewhat bitter aftertaste (I find stevia to have the same effect).

Ok, next up, baking! I wanted to see if the aftertaste disappeared with the heat of baking.  We have a Harrelson apple tree and recent storms had knocked down several small apples.  Now, Harrelson's are TART and the young apples are even more so.  Storms knock some early apples down every year and I use them in a easy stovetop dessert that consists simply of apple slices, cinnamon, maple syrup, and cherry wine, cooked until the apples are soft and the sauce reduced.  And really, apple sweetener used on apples?  Should be a perfect combination!

Again, I was surprised that Dolcedì’ didn't perform as expected. While I didn't get a bitter aftertaste, I used way more than I would have of maple syrup as the Dolcedì’ did not overpower the tartness of the apples no matter how much I used.  I ended up adding maple syrup, which immediately reduced the tartness.

For me, I'll stick with my trusty maple syrup.  I do think that used raw, Dolcedì’ would perform fine in teas, and I'll try that when the cold weather hits in a few months.

I do want to note that Rigoni di Asiago® has a variety of other products that look right up my alley - a chocolate hazelnut spread that looks beyond delicious, as well as several honeys.  I wish I could try them all!  I can't even pick a favorite to try but right now it's a toss up between the Organic Italian Forest Raw Honey, Organic Italian Orange Blossom Raw & Creamy Honey, and the Organic Italian Wildflower Raw & Creamy Honey.