Become a Patron!

making a recipe sweeter

mchaggis79

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
I have a recipe that I think the flavor is perfect, but I just wish it were sweeter. Any ideas?

The recipe is this if anyone would like to try it.
2% Vanilla cupcake/swirl from TFA (I prefer Vanilla swirl, but cupcake tastes pretty good too)
1% cocount FA
1% vienna cream FA
1% cookie FA
2% peanut butter TFA

like I said I really like this recipe I just wish it had an added sweetness.
 

eStorm

Silver Contributor
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Reddit Exile
You have to be careful with cap super sweet, since it contains preservatives, great for fruits if you want a boost/pop. Also great for candy and that sugar lip feel. In bakeries it can do quite the opposite, especially when paired with "sweeter" creams.

You could pick a "lighter" sweetener aka FW sweetener, this is just sucralose but less potent than super sweet and no preservatives. Or FLV sweetness, PUR super sweet,TFA sweetener but that contains EM together with sucralose. Stevia as mentioned good too.

However most flavors contain "sweetness" already, therefore using some of these could add a slight hint too, but if you didn't want to add more, give these sweeteners a try or a other simple solution, increase VG. Sometimes just going up by 5 can be enough. If you already mix max vg, then ignore that lol.
 

Just Frank

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I have a recipe that I think the flavor is perfect, but I just wish it were sweeter. Any ideas?

The recipe is this if anyone would like to try it.
2% Vanilla cupcake/swirl from TFA (I prefer Vanilla swirl, but cupcake tastes pretty good too)
1% cocount FA
1% vienna cream FA
1% cookie FA
2% peanut butter TFA

like I said I really like this recipe I just wish it had an added sweetness.
This recipe would benefit from adding some marshmallow. I've been really liking Capella Marshmallow but TFA and FA are good too in my experience.
 

wildgypsy70

“Widgy Pidgy”
Staff member
Senior Moderator
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
VU Challenge Team
Member For 5 Years
VU Patreon
All the above suggestions are great. I have nothing to add. Personally, I would probably do the super sweet at 2 drops/10 ml. Like @jwill said, a little goes a long way. My other go to is FLV sweetness or TFA Cotton Candy.
 

mchaggis79

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
I tried FA Joy, but that added a weird extra taste I really don't care for.
FA Marshmallow as always adds a little sweetness I love, but It seems to take a lot to do anything noticeable.
I think I might try sweetener from flavor west when i get a little extra money. The super sweet sounds like it would have the opposite effect since this is more of a bakery type recipe, plus I really just want like a touch of sweetness so maybe I'll stick with marshmallow or FW sweetener.

Thank you all for the advice.
 

eStorm

Silver Contributor
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Reddit Exile
I tried FA Joy, but that added a weird extra taste I really don't care for.
FA Marshmallow as always adds a little sweetness I love, but It seems to take a lot to do anything noticeable.
I think I might try sweetener from flavor west when i get a little extra money. The super sweet sounds like it would have the opposite effect since this is more of a bakery type recipe, plus I really just want like a touch of sweetness so maybe I'll stick with marshmallow or FW sweetener.

Thank you all for the advice.
If you have a Wal-Mart around, go pick up liquid stevia. In most cases it's cheaper even tho the sweeteners from all brands are not that expensive, but I know how it feels being on a budget.

Make sure that the product ingredient only lists the actual stevia content and no fillers.
One brand is Pyure it does just like super sweet contain lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, which wouldn't be bad, so long you don't go overboard with it.

However they changed the formulation and it's only stevia now, but some Wal-Mart still carry the old, hence I'm mentioning it. Either one would be fine, just don't pick up vanilla flavored etc. Any other brand is good as well, so long it contains no fillers or/and preservatives.

Then store it in your fridge, use 1 drop or 0.02g if you use a scale per 20ml, it's enough I even use only 1 drop in a 60ml but you can play around with it. That bottle will last forever and you can sweeten any category with it. It burns cleaner and as long as you keep it at low percent there's no aftertaste or off taste.

after you used it for a bit and next time you ordering flavors, then you can consider grabbing a couple of other sweeteners and play with them. Or grab specifically sweeteners for certain categories etc. Just throwing that out there as a option tho.
 

AndriaD

Yes, I DO wear a mask! I'm vaccinated, too!
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
TFA Sweetener was the only one I found that's really sweet, and contains none of that "artificial whang". Another "little goes a long way"; I'd suggest trying .5% first, go up if needed, but anything over about 2.5% is just sickening it's so sweet -- and I'm a real sugar addict.

If you want something more subtle, try ethyl maltol, or "Cotton Candy" flavoring -- same diff. It adds a certain "body," more than sweetness, but it's a bit sweet.

Andria
 

jwill

The Great King of Nothing
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 2 Years
VU Challenge Team
Reddit Exile
VU SWAT
I tried FA Joy, but that added a weird extra taste I really don't care for.
FA Marshmallow as always adds a little sweetness I love, but It seems to take a lot to do anything noticeable.
I think I might try sweetener from flavor west when i get a little extra money. The super sweet sounds like it would have the opposite effect since this is more of a bakery type recipe, plus I really just want like a touch of sweetness so maybe I'll stick with marshmallow or FW sweetener.

Thank you all for the advice.

Super sweet works awesome in bakery items. Not trying to sell you on it or anything but it does a great job.
 

eStorm

Silver Contributor
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Reddit Exile
TFA Sweetener was the only one I found that's really sweet, and contains none of that "artificial whang". Another "little goes a long way"; I'd suggest trying .5% first, go up if needed, but anything over about 2.5% is just sickening it's so sweet -- and I'm a real sugar addict.

If you want something more subtle, try ethyl maltol, or "Cotton Candy" flavoring -- same diff. It adds a certain "body," more than sweetness, but it's a bit sweet.

Andria
TFA sweetener is 5% sucralose and 5% ethyl maltol. It gunks your coils like nothing else, also it will mute the juice fairly quickly, even at 0.5%.

This is a two in one sweetener, ethyl maltol works great with other sweeteners but is a match in heaven if paired with sucralose. Sucralose sweetens the overall profile, while ethyl maltol only sweetens high and secondary notes. If a flavor contains already some kind of sweetener and most do, especially TFA then this sweetener will amplify the sweetness even more, hence some people believing that Tfa sweetener is more powerful than super sweet. It's not. If used, start with 0.15% and work your way up, but be mindful of other flavors that are used in the recipe, or you end up with a hot mess.

Ethyl maltol as explained above is only beneficial in combination with other sweeteners, otherwise only a specific or certain high/top notes are sweetened up, leading to that more subtle feeling you describing. In reality tho, it is the most underestimated additive and will not only gunk coils but reduces shelf life of the juice, as well as fading and muting out recipes. It's meant to take off harshness or edges in a juice not really for mouthfeel or wetness/juicyness some people try using it.

I never understood the use of 1% or more Tfa sweetener as well as ethyl maltol in private recipes, if you can accomplish the same sweetness or even more with other brands at much lower ratio. Ethyl maltol vs stevia or vs vinegar, which one is more artifical? I have no idea, but in general ethyl maltol for me personally would be the last choice.
 
Last edited:

fozzy71

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Now Glycerite Stevia FTW @ 0.5%. I tried Pyure a year or so ago (twice) and stored it in the fridge but it always gets floaties in it. I use it in bakery and fruit juice.
 

AndriaD

Yes, I DO wear a mask! I'm vaccinated, too!
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
TFA sweetener is 5% sucralose and 5% ethyl maltol. It gunks your coils like nothing else, also it will mute the juice fairly quickly, even at 0.5%.

This is a two in one sweetener, ethyl maltol works great with other sweeteners but is a match in heaven if paired with sucralose. Sucralose sweetens the overall profile, while ethyl maltol only sweetens high and secondary notes. If a flavor contains already some kind of sweetener and most do, especially TFA then this sweetener will amplify the sweetness even more, hence some people believing that Tfa sweetener is more powerful than super sweet. It's not. If used, start with 0.15% and work your way up, but be mindful of other flavors that are used in the recipe, or you end up with a hot mess.

Ethyl maltol as explained above is only beneficial in combination with other sweeteners, otherwise only a specific or certain high/top notes are sweetened up, leading to that more subtle feeling you describing. In reality tho, it is the most underestimated additive and will not only gunk coils but reduces shelf life of the juice, as well as fading and muting out recipes. It's meant to take off harshness or edges in a juice not really for mouthfeel or wetness/juicyness some people try using it.

I never understood the use of 1% or more Tfa sweetener as well as ethyl maltol in private recipes, if you can accomplish the same sweetness or even more with other brands at much lower ratio. Ethyl maltol vs stevia or vs vinegar, which one is more artifical? I have no idea, but in general ethyl maltol for me personally would be the last choice.

ROFL. I used about 2.7% of TFA sweetener, when I first started DIY; I was only about 4-5 months off 39 yrs of smoking, and my tastebuds were the next thing to DEAD -- and I still use a good bit more flavoring than anyone else I know -- 24% -- but that TFA sweetener was the first to be reduced, starting when I was nearly 2 yrs smoke-free, until I finally eliminated it entirely, prolly about 5-6 months ago -- but, the other flavors in my ADV are quite sweet, TFA's Vanilla Swirl and DX Bavarian, and INW Shisha Strawberry, plus some CAP Sweet Cream for added creaminess.

I've never had much use for ethyl maltol, but some folks really like it. *shrug*

Andria
 

MagicJosh

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I cant vape bland e liquid anymore. I remember when I did not DIY. And all the juice i bought was terrible not sweet enough. I add 1 percent in every recipe except tobaccos. Juice doesn't pop without it.
 

mchaggis79

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
I ordered some ethyl maltol from ecigexpress, but they sent me something called erithrytol (spelling?). I know it's a sweetener, but idk anything after that. I read you can use it just like sucralose and it's more heat resistant. Is it ok to vape?
 

NGAHaze

Gold Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I've heard of people using it as sweetener in ejuice but I haven't personally. I seldom use any sweetener at all myself but I don't think it would be any worse than sucralose provided it doesn't contain any fillers. If it came from ECX, it should be okay to use.
 

Letitia9

Citrus Junkie
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
VU Challenge Team
I ordered some ethyl maltol from ecigexpress, but they sent me something called erithrytol (spelling?). I know it's a sweetener, but idk anything after that. I read you can use it just like sucralose and it's more heat resistant. Is it ok to vape?
Just a sweetener that many diyers use regularly. Like everything start low, maybe 0.3% or 0.5%. Not as sweet as a supersweet like Cap. There is a good thread about this at ELR. I've not tried it, prefer VTA sugar cane 0.2% or a few drops of pear or meringue.
 

VU Sponsors

Top