This patent describes a method of forming the food sweetener made from xylitol and D-ribose and a method of forming a food product that includes the sweetener. The food sweetener may be formed to have a fixed shape by heating at an elevated temperature followed by cooling to ambient atmospheric temperature. The food product may be formed by heating or cooling a mixture of ingredients that includes xylitol, D-ribose and at least one other ingredient that does not contain a sweetening agent.