Which sweetener should I use? | Blog | Vanilla Vapes
Posted by Martin on 10th Oct 2019
The difference between sweeteners
There are 2 main sweeteners available when making e-liquid, Ethyl Maltol (EM) and Sucralose. They each provide sweetness in a slightly different way, bringing something different to the mix.
These two ingredients can also be found in different ratios in off-the-shelf products. For example, TFA Sweetener is 5% Sucralose and 5% EM whereas CAP Super Sweet is 10% Sucralose.
We'll also cover in this blog other ways of sweetening e-liquid recipes without using sweetener or super sweet.
Sucralose
Super Sweet is the best sweetener to use if you think Sucralose is appropriate for your mix.
Ethyl Maltol
element of strawberry, mango and blueberry and make them a small amount sweeter.
As TFA Sweetener is 5% Sucralose and 5% EM, I find it can create a more 'grown up' flavour, which is helpful for enhancing a mix.
Other flavourings to sweeten recipes
Adding a sweetener isn't the only way to increase the sweetness of a recipe though. Additional flavour concentrates can also be used which contain a sweet edge.
Here are my favourites:
Marshmallow (Flavour West) - A particularly sweet flavouring. It is not only helpful for adding sweetness but also for increasing the mouthfeel of a recipe, allowing flavours to feel 'thicker'.
Meringue (Italian Aromas) - Not only a sweet concentrate, but can add a taste of dusted sugar like icing sugar.
Brown Sugar (TFA) - Ideal for adding sweetness to bakery flavours where brown sugar would be used in the actual item. This concentrate has a rich sweetness.
So which should I use?
Now you know some of the different ways to sweeten liquid, you can start to visualise the end result you're aiming for with your recipe and think about what the flavour calls for. A 'cartoony' candy bubblegum wouldn't be the same without sucralose, whereas a delicate blueberry cheesecake might balance out better with EM. There's no harm in layering them too, our cheesecake example might also use marshmallow to enhance the creaminess and brown sugar to boost the biscuit base. It pays to experiment with the different options, they can make a world of difference to your recipes - Happy Mixing!
