If you just can't resist rich desserts, know that you are not alone. Everyone craves a sweet treat every now and then but whether you are looking to lose a few pounds, keep a fantastic figure, or can't eat sugar for medical reasons, searching for a delicious sugar-free dessert can seem impossible (or expensive).

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Don't despair! If you like your desserts fresh and enjoy being in your kitchen, you can whip up your own tantalizing sugar-free desserts at home.

Baking with Artificial Sweeteners

You might wonder why manufacturers recommend combining artificial sweeteners with sugar when baking. Sugar is not used in recipes simply for sweetness. Sugar is used to keep baked goods moist. Sugar also makes cookies easier to spread and acts as a natural preservative. This means that you may have to experiment to find the right balance of sugar and artificial sweetener instead of completely eliminating sugar when you bake or cook.

Sugar-Free Whipped Cream

Whipped cream can make the simplest dessert sinful. Think baked fruits, cake frostings or fillings and ice cream. You can even frost sugar-free cookies from the store with a small dollop of whipped cream if you like.

What you'll need:

• 1 pint whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons granulated sucralose sugar substitute
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Whip the cream in a chilled bowl until the cream thickens. Slowly add the substitute sugar and vanilla and beat until the cream forms stiff peaks.