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 Liquid
sugars were developed before today's methods of sugar processing made transport
and handling granulated sugars practical. Liquid sucrose (sugar) is essentially
liquid granulated sugar and the most popular types are corn syrup, honey or
molasses.
All of syrups below, except for those having corn syrup in
their makeup, have the same storage characteristics. Generally, they can be
stored on the shelf for about two years and up to a year after opening. Once
they are opened, they are best kept in the refrigerator to retard mold growth.
If mold growth does occur, the syrup should be discarded. The outside of the
bottle should be cleaned of drips after each use. Some pure cane and sorghum
syrups may crystallize in storage, but this causes no harm and they can be
reliquified using the same method as for honey.
TYPES:
AGAVE SYRUP:
This neutral or golden syrup, containing 23 to 25 percent water, is produced
from organically grown blue agave cactus. The golden variety has a slight taste
of mescal. Because it’s fructose, its sweetening power is higher than sucrose
when not heated above 120 degrees F, at which point it also begins to color.
Unlike fructose sweeteners that are produced chemically, the fructose is
separated by an enzymatic process and then evaporated to the desired
consistency. It’s used to make beverages such as Tequila and soft drinks, and it
may be more tolerable for some diabetics.
BARLEY:
Melt granulated sugar to 185C and it forms barley sugar, continue heating
to 200C and it caramelizes.
CANE JUICE: A
slightly milky liquid which is crushed sugar
cane. Lightly chilled makes a very refreshing drink.
See also dehydrated cane juice.
| I like to use
Karo Corn Syrup, readily
available from the grocery store. You can technically interchange their
light and dark corn syrups, but be careful because the dark has a richer,
molasses taste and dark color, which will change your recipe's flavor and
look:
Karo light
corn syrup - is used when a delicately sweet flavor is
desired, such as in frostings, fruit sauces and jams. It is a mixture
of corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup (to provide increased
sweetness) and is flavored with salt and pure vanilla. It is clear and
colorless, with a moderately sweet flavor.
Karo dark
corn syrup, with its more robust molasses flavor and rich
brown color, is ideal for many baked goods, such as in a
Pecan Pie. It is a mixture
of corn syrup and a small amount of refiners' syrup (a cane sugar
product with a molasses-like flavor). Caramel flavor, sodium benzoate
(a preservative), salt, and caramel color are added. |
CORN SYRUP: This is starch extracted from
corn kernels and treated with an acid or enzyme to create a sweet syrup. Corn
syrup is an invert sugar, meaning it takes half as much of it to sweeten as much
as regular sugar. DO NOT substitute corn syrup in a recipe, a liquid sugar, for
a crystalline or dry one, such as table sugar. Each has different properties and
the recipe may not bake the same way that you intended.
Corn syrup serves different
functions in different types of recipes and is an important ingredient. It
controls sugar crystallization in candy,
prevents the formation of ice crystals in frozen
desserts, enhances fresh fruit flavor in
jams and preserves, and sweetens and thickens.
In baked goods, corn syrup holds
moisture and maintains freshness longer. Corn syrup also balances sweet and sour
flavor flavors, and is therefore a key ingredient in many Asian dishes. When
brushed onto baked ham, barbecued meats, baked vegetables or fresh fruit, it is
an ideal glaze. Light and dark corn syrups can also be poured over waffles, hot
cereal and pancakes.
Corn syrup comes in both light
and dark varieties, and are interchangeable, but recipes usually specify which
type - DO NOT interchange them unless instructed. If your
recipe calls for dark corn syrup,
you can mellow out its flavor, by using
50% dark and 50% light, instead of 100% dark.
Corn syrup should be stored, tightly
sealed in a dark cupboard at room temperature. If you can't open it after
storing, hold top of bottle under the faucet running with medium-hot water. The
hardened syrup will loosen and the top should open. It should be noted that all
corn syrups tend to darken if stored for longer periods of time under high
temperatures.
DETAILS ABOUT
 A
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE AND A CORN SYRUP EXPERIMENT:
I set out to reduce the fat in "crunchy on
the outside and chewy on the inside cookies" such as
Chocolate Chip, for my book,
The Healthy Oven Baking Book.
I also wanted to reduce the fat in my family's favorite, crispy
Icebox
Sugar cookies. I wanted their reduced fat versions to be as
close as possible to their full-fat recipes - crunchy, crispy, chewy and
lightly browned. However, I knew I made a "VERY difficult and NEVER done
before task" that I set for myself -- once the fat content is lowered in
these types of cookies, you simply can't get these prized attributes.
(I knew because of my knowledge of thousands of food products as a food
broker, and in my own years of professional recipe development and personal
baking.)
I also had a personal mission to full-fill; I
wanted to create a reduced-fat cookie recipe for my own family that had the
same prized attributes as their full-fat version. Being responsible for the
food choices in my family, I wanted all of us to eat "healthy" cookies along
with other healthy foods. With the reduced-fat recipes and "healthy" baked
goods that existed, I was sick of eating; they were cookies that would bend,
instead of stay crisp, or ones that didn't resemble a cookie at all. I would
compromise and eat them, but my kids would simply say "YUK!" and throw them
out. Besides, if the cookies were reduced in fat, I would have a good chance
with my kids if I made the familiar ones, such as Chocolate Chip Cookies; I
knew they wouldn't eat a reduced-fat cookie unless it tasted AND looked the
same as its full-fat version that they were used to my baking for them (now
they bake themselves and often make my recipe).
Oh, boy! After months and months of testing,
I finally reduced the fat in my Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe -- from 2
sticks (16 tablespoons) to 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons)!! But, it was not the
same as its full-fat version -- it was hard, crumbly and had a pale cast --
not good! Even my dogs wouldn't eat it!! But, the recipe did bake and
its dough looked familiar, so I knew I was close to a good "formula".
In the ninth hour, after testing this base
recipe with all sorts of ingredients, over and over again (I was determined)
to get it to bake crunchy, crispy, chewy and lightly browned, a light bulb
went off! Why not try corn syrup? When reducing the fat in cookie recipes
for my book, you can't help but become involved with the way in which fat
and sugar work together. They, along with other ingredients, create a
certain taste and texture that is prized in full-fat cookie recipes. (For
more information, see How Baking Works).
Knowing how corn syrup works in baking
recipes, I tried adding the light version to my reduced-fat Chocolate Chip
Cookie Recipe. After baking the first batch, I could see that it was on its
way towards working, but I needed to get it right. I experimented (a total
of a 45 batches) by altering the balance of ingredients in each batch along
with the corn syrup.
I finally got it right, and when my
Reduced-fat Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe baked, they were just like
their full fat versions -- crunchy, crispy, chewy and lightly browned, plus
puffy. What a break through!! Besides, you can't tell they are reduced in
fat and because of that, my kids love them, as well. I think that my
reduced-fat cookie recipes are some of the best out there, just because of
my adding a small addition of corn syrup! |
FRUCTOSE:
Sugar found in honey,
sugar, vegetables, whole wheat, nuts
and fruit. See also granulated
fructose.
FRUIT
JUICES: For the best results, use freshly squeezed fruit juices
in baking (besides, you'll have the grated zest or peel to add for even more
flavor). Some recipes call for fruit juice concentrates. You can use
the familiar frozen fruit juice concentrate (thaw before using), or the new
shelf-stable variety. Do not dilute fruit juice concentrates.
GLUCOSE SYRUP:
Glucose, a type of corn syrup, is called for in many recipes. Some of its uses
are in: caramels, peanut brittle, gum paste and liqueurs. Keeps indefinitely.
8 tablespoons glucose equals 9
tablespoons light corn syrup. /
Purchase /
Special recipe
GOLDEN SYRUP:
Particularly popular in England (where it's also known as light TREACLE), this
liquid sweetener has the consistency of corn syrup
and a clear golden color. It's made from evaporated sugar cane juice and has a
rich, toasty flavor unmatched by any other sweetener. Golden syrup, the most
readily available brand being Lyle's, can be found in some supermarkets and many
gourmet markets. It can be used as a substitute for corn syrup in cooking and
baking, and for everything from pancake syrup to ice cream topping. Read
a discussion.
GRAPE SYRUP:
This import from Italy is pure fructose in liquid form. It works
well to sweeten fruit, particularly for fruit salad.
|
Cold
and age can cause honey to crystallize. The fix: heat water in a pan until
simmering. Turn off heat. Take the lid off and place the honey jar in the
water and let sit. It should de-crystallize. This works for glass jars only,
since plastic ones would melt. |
HONEY: Honey
is probably the oldest sweetener known to man. It predates recorded history and
has been found in the Egyptian pyramids. It's typically sweeter than granulated
sugar by a factor of 25%-40% depending upon the specific flowers from which the
bees gather their nectar. This means a smaller amount of honey can give the same
amount of sweetening as sugar. The source flowers also dictate the flavor and
the color of the sweetener as well. Honey color can range from very dark (nearly
black) to almost colorless. As a general rule, the lighter the color and the
more delicate the flavor, the greater the price the honey will bring.
Honey is an invert liquid sugar. It
is used to add sweetness and moistness to baked goods. Containing 17.2 percent
water, this common ingredient is the nectar of plants gathered, modified,
stored, and concentrated by honey bees. It’s made up of levulose (fructose) and
dextrose (glucose). Honey has many sources, such as borage, buckwheat, avocado,
thyme, clover, and its flavor varies accordingly. It is sweeter than sugar
because it contains fructose.
Recipes made with honey tend to be
moist because the fructose in it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. It also
helps to extend shelf life because it releases its moisture slowly and absorbs
humidity. Due to its high fructose content, honey should not be fed to infants
under 1 year of age. Honey is a safe and wholesome food for older children and
adults.
Too much honey may cause the product
to become too brown. Honey has a distinctive flavor and the darker the color,
the stronger the flavor. I like a full-flavored honey for baking such as
wildflower. A 12-ounce jar of honey equals a standard measuring cup.
As you might expect, since honey is sweeter than table sugar,
it also has more calories as well -- 22 per teaspoon compared to granulated
sugar's 16 per teaspoon. There are also trivial amounts of minerals and vitamins
in the bee product while white sugar has none. Raw honey may also contain minute
quantities of botulinum spores and should not be fed to children under one year
of age. Raw honey is OK for older children and adults. Honey is not a direct
substitute for table sugar however, it's use in recipes may call for a bit of
alteration to get the recipe to turn out right.
Honey comes in a number of forms in
the retail market. For the best results, use
recipes developed for using honey, but it is best
substituted with other liquid
sugars. Buy labeled U.S. GRADE A or U.S. FANCY.
- Whole-Comb
- This is the bee product straight from the hive. This
is the most unprocessed form in which honey comes, being found as large
pieces of waxy comb floating in raw honey. The comb itself will contain
many unopened honey cells.
- Raw
- This is unheated honey that has been removed from the
comb. It may contain bits of wax, insect parts and other small detritus.
- Filtered
- This is raw honey that has been warmed slightly to
make it more easy to filter out small particles and impurities. Other
than being somewhat cleaner than raw honey it is essentially the same.
Most of the trace amounts of nutrients remain intact.
- Liquid
- This is honey that has been heated to higher
temperatures to allow for easier filtering and to kill any
microorganisms. Usually lighter in color, this form is milder in flavor,
resists crystallization and generally clearer. It stores the best of the
various forms of honey. Much of the trace amounts of vitamins, however,
are lost.
- Crystallized or Spun
- This honey has had some of its moisture content
removed to make a creamy, spread. It is the most processed form of honey
|
Honey comes in a number of flavors. Some examples:
 | Alfalfa: mild
flavor and aroma, excellent table honey |
| Avocado:
amber-colored with caramelized molasses flavor and flowery aftertaste. |
| Basswood: light
colored honey with distinctive bite |
| Blueberry:
Amber-colored, moderate fruity flavor with a delicate aftertaste |
| Buckwheat: very
dark amber color, pungent flavor with sharp, medicinal taste |
| Clover: light
colored, sweet, flowery taste, very mild with spicy cinnamon aroma |
| Eucalyptus:
Light Amber color, sweet aroma and flavor, with herbal undertones |
| Fireweed: Almost
clear colored, mild, spicy flavor with subtle tea-like notes |
| Orange Blossom:
light orange-amber color, sweet, fruity taste reminiscent of orange blossoms. |
| Sage: very light
amber color, thick and viscous with a clover nectar flavor. Slow to
crystallize so has long shelf life. |
| Sourwood: light
amber color, sweet, spicy anise aroma and flavor |
| Tupelo: Amber
colored, smooth honey with complex bouquet, and rich herbal, fruity flavor.
Like sage is slow to crystallize so has long shelf life. |
Honey is easy to store. Pure honey won't mold, but may
crystallize over time. Exposure to air and moisture can cause color to darken
and flavor to intensify and may speed crystallization as well. Comb honey
doesn't store as well liquid honey so you should not expect it to last as long.
If crystallization does occur, honey can be reliquified by placing the container
in a larger container of hot water until it has melted.
Storage temperature is not as important for honey, but it
should be kept from freezing and not near heat sources. Either extreme can cause
crystallization and heat may cause flavor to strengthen undesirably.
Filtered liquid honey will last the longest in storage.
Storage containers should be opaque, airtight, moisture- and odor-proof.
INVERT:
Invert sugar is used when interfere with sugar crystallization and are used in
candy-making. Examples of invert sugars are
honey, glucose, corn syrup, and trimoline (for commercial use). You can't
substitute on for the other, as they each have distinctive properties.
MALT SYRUP
MAPLE SYRUP
(PURE): Late winter and early spring is maple season in parts
of northeastern North America. It is done by tapping trees, collecting sap, and
processing it to produce maple syrup. Real maple syrup is a pure, natural
product with a unique flavor. It is delicious just as it is, served as a topping
over pancakes, waffles, ice cream, crushed ice (maple snowcone), or made into
candy. Or, it can be used as a sugar
substitute in cooking a variety of dishes.
Most pure maple syrup is grade A
amber, which is delicious on its own, and can be best appreciated on pancakes
and waffles. It is always pricey, as this natural food is subject to
variations in annual harvesting conditions. There are two options for
using maple syrup in baking: the first is to use grade B maple syrup, which
imparts a deep flavor. It is available in some gourmet stores and by
mail-order. Or, secondly add a few
drops of natural maple flavoring extract to the Grade A syrup. Pure maple syrup
has a much lighter flavor than supermarket pancake syrup, which is corn syrup
with artificial maple flavors. Natural maple syrup works well as a
sweetener, but really doesn't impart a deep maple flavor in baked goods.
New unopened bottles of maple syrup may be kept
on a cool, dark, shelf for up to two years. The sweetener may darken and the
flavor get stronger, but it is still usable.
Once the container is opened, it should be refrigerated where it will last about
a year.
Be careful to look out for mold growth. If mold
occurs, discard the syrup. Left standing
uncovered at room temperature, however, maple syrup can be affected by spoilage
microorganisms. While occasionally it's contaminated by yeasts, of the species
Saccharomyces (same as in starter breads),
it's usually mold on the surface that suggests some stray microorganisms have
found a new home. These microorganisms all grow best at room temperature but
fortunately they are also destroyed by boiling. If you find mold, however, don't
throw the syrup away. Strain it through cheesecloth to catch the mold, then
bring the syrup to a boil and pour it into a clean container. It's now safe to
use again.
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The different molasses types:
During the refining of sugar cane and sugar beets, the juice
squeezed from these plants is boiled to a syrupy mixture from which sugar
crystals are extracted. The remaining brownish-black liquid is molasses. It
comes in mild (unsulphured), robust (processed with sulfites), and
blackstrap versions. Don't use blackstrap molasses, which is too
strong and doesn't work well in baking recipes.
Light molasses:
When the syrup is boiled the first time, the lightest liquid
is drained from the top -- this is the light molasses. Light molasses is
light in color and has a mild, sweet taste. It is often used as a pancake
and waffle syrup.
Dark molasses:
After the first boiling and removal of the light
molasses, the syrup is boiled again, and the lightest liquid is drained from
the top -- this is the dark molasses. It is much darker and thicker than
light molasses, and the taste is less sweet. Dark molasses is generally used
as a flavoring in American classics such as gingerbread, shoofly pie, indian
pudding and boston baked beans.
Blackstrap molasses:
After the second boiling and removal of the dark
molasses, the syrup is boiled a third time, and the thick liquid which
remains is called bootstrap molasses, which are the dregs of the
barrel. Bootstrap molasses is very dark, very thick, and almost bitter.
Bootstrap molasses is rarely used in recipes.
Sulphur:
Sulphured molasses is made from green (unripe)
sugar cane and is treated with sulphur fumes during the sugar extraction
process. Sulphured molasses tends to be heavier and sweeter, while
unsulphured molasses is lighter and has more of the vegetation (plant)
taste.
Unsulphured molasses
is the whole juice of fully matured sugar cane that has been clarified and
evaporated to a heavier consistency.
I always use
unsulphured molasses in baking. This
product, which is produced in the West Indies, is characterized by a light
clear color, delicate flavor, and is generally sweeter than other grades
since none of the sugar has been removed. Because of the processing methods
it is not necessary to bleach this molasses with sulfur dioxide to obtain a
light color.
Sorghum molasses
is the syrup produced from the cereal grain sorghum. Whether or not molasses
is sulphured or unsulphured depends on whether sulphur was used in the
processing. In general, unsulphured molasses is lighter and has a cleaner
sugar-cane flavor. |
MOLASSES: imparts
a dark color and strong flavor to baked foods. It is not as sweet as sugar. When
using molasses in place of sugar, use 1-1/3 cups molasses for 1 cup sugar and
reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 5 tablespoons. Because molasses is
more acidic than sugar, it may be necessary to add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for
each cup of molasses used in substitution for sugar. Replace no more than 1/2
the sugar called for in the recipe with molasses.
Its presence will keep sugars from
crystallizing during candy-making.
Molasses isn't just caramelized
sugar and browned proteins. "There are a lot of minerals, mostly calcium and
iron," says food scientist and author Harold McGee. "They don't participate in
any aromatic compounds themselves, but they influence the direction of reactions
and give a distinctive spectrum of flavors. And besides sucrose, there are
larger sugars, 3- and 4-unit sugars, which don't have much sweetness but react
with each other and the smaller sugars, giving flavorful compounds."
Finally, there are amino acids from protein breakdown, which give molasses its
sharpness.
Because of the acids, molasses or even brown sugar will make milk curdle if you
boil it with either of them. For this reason, many recipes for
butterscotch sauce, and particularly
for butterscotch pudding, begin by cooking the brown sugar with butter before
adding cream or milk--especially milk.
To store: If
unopened, keep in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year. Once opened, molasses will
keep for 6 months, tightly closed in the pantry. Refrigerate to extend storage
life.
RAW SUGAR =
SUCANAT = UNREFINED
NATURAL SUGAR = GRANULATED CANE JUICE (CRYSTALS) = DEHYDRATED CANE JUICE
(CRYSTALS). Available in both granular (light brown sugar like) and
liquid forms.
SORGHUM SYRUP: This is produced in
the same manner as cane syrup, but sorghum cane, rather than sugar cane, is
used. Sorghum tends to have a thinner, slightly sourer taste than cane syrup.
STEVIA: Produced from the
Stevia plant, this syrup is also available in powdered form. It’s approximately
double the sweetness of sucrose. It’s also tolerated by some diabetics.
Available in health food stores.
SUCANAT
TREACLE
(Golden Syrup)
TRIMOLINE:
A commercial invert sugar used for
candymaking.
UNREFINED
NATURAL SUGAR
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