I don't think you can generalise too much, but I usually cut down on sugar. You'd have to judge it recipe by recipe.

I cut the sugar in most recipes too.

Make some crepes and fill them with fruit and whip cream.

Linda

This French Chocolate Cake is a recipe from Maida Heatter that was served as dessert when my friend's exchange student from France made us a typical French meal. Everything was delicious and I make her mixed green salad with goat cheese croutons to this day.

French Chocolate Cake

6 oz. semisweet chocolate
4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 TB sifted cake flour

preheat oven to 350 degrees F

butter an 8" spring form pan, line with parchment paper and grease the paper and dust with cocoa mixed with a little flour

chop the chocolate fine; put with butter in a saucepan over warm water on moderate heat; stir smooth with a whisk; set aside to cool 5-10 minutes

beat eggs and sugar in a bowl for 5 minutes; add vanilla, then chocolate mixture, then the flour; beat on low only until just blended; put in prepared pan; rotate pan in opposite directions to level the batter

bake 28-30 minutes; test with a toothpick; cake will have a domed top and probably a crack that will flatten as it cools

when cake is cool, release and remove the sides of the pan; cover cake with a plate, turn over, remove bottom of pan and paper; put cake on a cake stand and put strips of wax paper under the edges of the cake

Glaze: Honey Chocolate Glaze
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 oz. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 t. honey

place chocolates, butter and honey in top of a double boiler over warm water on moderate heat; stir until melted and smooth; remove from heat and cool

pour glaze onto top of cake; with metal spatula, smooth top and let some of glaze drip down the sides, then smooth the sides; remove strips of wax paper; let cake stand at room temperature before serving the same day made.

Look at the link below for inspiration.

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I think it depends on the source. I read somewhere that a lot of American recipes were influenced by the sugar industry at the turn of the century, when sugar started to become a cheap additive. So they upped the sugar content in cookbooks. In most dessert recipe I cut the equivalent of one cup of sugar back to 3/4 cup automatically, and then usually from there cut it back to 2/3 cup. Lower sugar treats don't stay fresh as long though, that's the drawback.

Lpinkmountain, that was it, that was the answer I was looking for. Thank you!

My brother-in-law and my sister owns a French bakery; so, I'm somewhat familiar with french pastries. Then why am I still asking? Well, his baking quantity is for business sale, not for making just 1 cake. Also, he keeps his recipes all in secrecy.

When he first opened the bakery, he baked real french desserts with the subtle sweetness and the full richness of real butter & other ingredients. Of course, they weren't selling as well. We got to eat what weren't selling. I was young back then and my stomach could tolerate its richness.

He learned quickly that he had to modify the sugar content in order to satisfy American consumers. He's been in business for almost 30 years now and still doing well.

Truthfully, I don't like his desserts because they're extremely sweet for my taste!

Like many of you, I ,too, believe eating in moderation. I like to cook and bake my own food/dessert so I'd have better control of the ingredients.

Anyway, thanks all that had replied to this post.

Thanks for reminding me about sugar being a preservative, (salt is too). I usually share or freeze what I bake so I could take my time eating them.

Yeah, I have the same problem. I have to freeze or prolifically share whenever I make a dessert/sweet item. Otherwise it goes stale before single-me gets it all eaten up. That's why I usually don't make desserts unless I'm having a party. I made a very delicious pie a while back, and even with me and BF eating it, I still had it around for two weeks.

When SWMBO bakes, I have it around for, oh, the rest of my life.

Thank goodness she doesn't, much.

French cakes and desserts are amazingly light - and do not keep at all well. French women aren't hell bent on getting enormous backsides!! You buy one on a Sunday morning and you eat it ALL for Sunday lunch hahaha.

You might find, as I have, that your tolerance for really sweet foods has diminished as we age....ahem. I don't consider this to be a problem or hardship. In fact, we all know that the human body does not NEED a certain amount of sugar for energy or peak performance. Usually one bite of a sweet is enough to tell me if I will enjoy the second or third bite. Sometimes, even a once over glance is all that is needed.

Teresa