Healthier Bakes with a Delicious Twist: Tasting Trials with Apple Power!
Previous stages of the project had worked with food manufacturers to develop the apple ingredient for larger scale school meals and at home meal-kits. Next, Pennotec, The Pudding Compartment, and Bangor University have been working together to make some of the UK’s favourite sweet treats healthier – without compromising on taste. Using innovative apple-based ingredients, they’re showing how food can be better for you and still taste amazing.
What Was on the Menu?
At two public tasting events, visitors sampled a range of sweet treats made with natural apple syrups and fibres, including chocolate brownies, Welsh cakes and flapjacks. These healthier bakes used apple syrup and fibre ingredients to replace up to 40% of the fat and sugar but still delivered on flavour, texture, and satisfaction. The ingredients were developed from leftover apples used in cider and juice production from Anglesey’s own Jaspels Cidery.
Where the Trials Took Place
There were two tasting events held in North Wales, one at Jaspels Cidery, Anglesey and the other at M-SParc Science Park, near Gaerwen
Each event featured:
- Interactive taste tests
- A chance to give feedback via questionnaires
- A mood board activity to inspire future uses for the apple syrup (pancakes were a popular idea!)
What Did People Think?
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive –Apple syrups were a hit and seen as a healthier alternative to golden syrup. Attendees loved the sweet, fruity flavour and shared great ideas for future products using the apple syrup
Summer 2023 Blind Tastings
Between May and August 2023, Pennotec and partners hit the road to test their healthier bakes at major Welsh events:
- Royal Welsh Show
- Urdd Eisteddfod
- National Eisteddfod
The Blind Flapjack Challenge
Visitors sampled two flapjacks – one standard, and one made with the apple ingredients. The apple flapjack had 20% fewer calories, half the sugar, and half the saturated fat of the standard flapjack. However, it still tasted just as good, most couldn’t tell the difference or liked the healthy flapjack better!
Over 2,400 people took part and nearly 1,300 preferred the healthier ‘All-Natural Apple Flapjack’
Special guest: Even opera legend Bryn Terfel joined the tasting!
What the Experts Say
“This summer we’ve proven that there is genuine consumer demand for healthier bakes – and people genuinely love the apple flavour.”
— Steve West, The Pudding Compartment
“Health innovations like these need to go beyond the lab to make real impact – and we’re doing just that.”
— Dr Adam Charlton, Bangor University’s BioComposites Centre
Introducing Apple Syrup: A Natural Sweetener with a Purpose
Pennotec’s journey to reduce food waste led to a brand-new product: All-Natural Apple Syrup.
- Made from the leftover pulp and peel from apple juice and cider production
- Captures fruit sugars, vitamins, antioxidants, and natural flavour
- Acts as a healthy, eco-friendly replacement for golden syrup or invert syrup
- Helps cut carbon footprint and manufacturing waste
“We’ve created a delicious, nutritious syrup by recovering what would’ve been wasted – and we’re saving money while doing it!”
— Dr Jonathan Hughes, Pennotec
A Win for Health, Taste, and Sustainability
Pennotec’s apple-based ingredients are proving that healthy eating doesn’t mean sacrificing taste—and that food waste can be turned into something truly valuable for people and the planet.
