How do i use stevia leaves

Photo: maisondesreveries. If your tea asks for a little bit of a sweet kick, add stevia leaves to it. Put them in as a whole or pluck them in pieces - it's your call. Don't overdo it though - even fresh, stevia can be quite sweet. So we'd suggest starting with series of experiments to find the amount that works best for you.

The idea of adding something processed, sticky, sugary and indulg-y to your breakfast green blend might seem to ruin the point of a healthy smoothie. If you like to start your day with a clean slate, skip the processed sweeteners maple syrup, sugar, agave syrup etc , and grab a leaf of stevia.

Fresh, green, sweet and good - add it to your smoothie ingredients and blend away! Again - test the sweetness; even 2 stevia leaves can seem too much for most people. Stevia leaf is a great snack for when you're craving something sweet and naughty. Pinch 1 to 4 leaves from the top of a branch to sweeten a cup of tea. Taking leaves from the top will encourage side growth and a bushier plant. Chew two fresh leaves to curb sugar cravings.

The sweet taste will remain in your mouth for up to an hour. Dry individual leaves between sheets of paper towel. When you can crumble the leaf easily, they are fully dried.

Cut whole branches from the plant. Hang the branch upside down in a dark, cool area until the leaves are dry. Grind the dry leaves with a mortar and pestle until you have a fine powder.

Use the powder to sweeten breakfast cereal, beverages or use it in baking. Dry leaves are sweeter than fresh, and one teaspoon is equal to the sweetness of 10 teaspoons of sugar. Boil two cups of distilled water. Strain the vodka through a mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth and into a saucepan.

Reduce the extract on the stove over low heat until syrupy, about 30 minutes. Transfer the extract to a dark bottle that has a dropper; you're going to use stevia extract by the drop. Keep the extract in a dark pantry or cupboard until you're ready to use it.

Prepare the glaze, dessert sauce, fruit sauce or other liquid-based sweetened dish until the point when you would add the sugar. Mix the glaze or sauce and heat it to F in a saucepan.

Add 1 tablespoon of powdered agar for every 2 cups of sauce. Stir to incorporate the agar and remove the saucepan from the heat. The glaze or sauce will thicken when it cools to F. Rinse the stevia and remove the stems. Pat the leaves dry and crush them by hand into a food container or jar. Cover the stevia leaves with 1 cup of tepid water. Steep the leaves at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain the syrup through a sieve lined with cheesecloth.

Add the stevia syrup to taste to drinks, sauces, glazes or any other liquid that needs sweetening at the finish. Stevia extract and simple syrup keeps for 30 days.