linda stephens wrote:I haven't been able to find isomalt. Can you use sugar instead?
sugar would not be recommended.
follow Ed's link.
Isomalt is really unique in a number of ways:
- it is not affected by humidity.
- it melts easily with no added water.
- it does not take color on when heated.
- does not melt well in the mouth.
- suitable for diabetics.
it's not overly sweet compared to most sugars.
chemically it's obtained by sugar hydrolosis and subsequent hydrogenation.
...i'm sitting here reading from a spreadsheet on 'properties of uses of sugar' that i typed up from a book by Paco Torreblanca.
Pretty much anything you ever wanted to know about saccharides chemically and for use in confection/baking/desserts....
The book seriously covers 19 types of sugars.
i suggest reading this:
Isomalt on Wikipedia.org
or...
Homepage of PALATINIT GmbH which develops, manufactures and markets ISOMALT
both those pages could explain quite a bit about the product.
I'd recommend the book, but i can't even afford to buy it...