Liquid stevia extract is a relatively easy tincture to make at home. Plus it’s a less expensive alternative to the store bought versions! We like homemade stevia extract to sweeten smoothies and cheesecake, but it also tastes great in coffee or sweet tea!
If you grow your own stevia, you can preserve the fresh leaves to make a most potent extract. This is my basic stevia recipe, and it’s suitable for kids and pregnant women since the alcohol cooks out.
I get dried stevia leaf from here in bulk, or you can preserve your own.
What is Stevia and How to Use It
Pure stevia (stevia rebaudiana) has a sweet taste and is a sugar-free way to sweeten foods and drinks. It ranks much lower on the glycemic index compared to other sweeteners like maple syrup or sugar. The plant itself can have a slightly bitter aftertaste, so companies have created a highly refined white powder from it.
These store bought powders are a concentrated and refind version of the steviol glycosides responsible for stevia’s sweetness. They’re made by processing stevia with GMO micro-organisms to create a fine, white stevia powder. While stevia has gained popularity as a sugar substitute not all brands are the same.
Many contain additives and fillers like maltodextrin, erythritol, dextrose, and other artificial sweeteners. However, some brands of liquid stevia, like Sweet Leaf have pretty clean ingredients.
Stevia is more than just a sweetener though. Researchers are studying stevia and it’s compounds for it’s health benefits. Stevia has been shown to help reduce hypertension, promote a healthier weight, have insulin supporting and anti-diabetic effects, and it’s an antioxidant. It’s also been studied for it’s role as an antimicrobial and in helping fight Lyme disease. A cup of sugar can’t say the same!
Homemade Stevia Extract Recipe
A natural sweetener made from stevia leaves, useful for sweetening tea, coffee, and baked goods such as cheesecake.
-
Sterilize the glass jar and lid in boiling water.
-
If using fresh stevia leaf fill the jar 2/3 full. If using dried stevia leaf fill the jar 1/2 full.
-
Pour the alcohol of choice over the leaves to fill the jar and put the lid on tightly.
-
Put the extract in a place where you’ll see it and let it sit for 36 hours, shaking occasionally.
-
Use a cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter to strain the liquid into a small saucepan.
-
Turn the heat on low and bring to a low simmer. Do not boil as it will ruin the taste!!!
-
Simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring constantly and making sure not to boil. It will thicken as the alcohol evaporates. When it gets to your desired thickness, remove from heat.
-
Store in small jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Dropper bottles work well for using stevia extract.
Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!
Growing Stevia
Stevia does well in warmer climates where temperatures don’t dip below 45 degreess. You can grow your own stevia plant in the summer if you don’t live in a tropical environment. A sunny windowsill works too!
Using Fresh vs Dried Stevia
I often have fresh stevia in my garden and that’s what I use when I make homemade stevia extract. Dried stevia leaves work well too, but you’ll need to adjust the recipe. Since the dried leaves soak up more moisture from the alcohol you only need to fill the jar 1/2 full. When using fresh stevia leaves I pack the jar about 2/3 full. Making your own stevia extract is more of an art than a science!
Places like Amazon sell powdered stevia leaf (not the processed white stuff). However, powdered stevia is much harder to strain out so I prefer to use the cut and sifted leaf to make stevia sweetener.
Recipes to Try with Stevia
Stevia extract is my go-to sweetener at our house. And by making it ourselves, we avoid the bitter aftertaste. Try it in one of these recipes! It’s also great in coffee, tea, chai lattes, or pumpkin lattes.
Do you use stevia? Ever made it? Share below!
Publisher: Source link
