At its simplest, sugar is a carbohydrate that is present in every fruit and vegetable. Plants make sugar through photosynthesis and then store it as food. In the United States, common white sugar or sucrose comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. One teaspoon of sugar has 15 calories.
In the kitchen, sugar plays a necessary and complex role especially when we cook and bake. The famous Maillard reaction or browning of food is a phenomenon that occurs when you heat amino acids (protein) with sugar. It’s the principle at work when bread crusts brown or you sear steak in a hot pan to get a dark crust for enhanced flavor and appeal.
In baking, sugar plays a complex role, adding sweetness, moisture, structure, color, volume, texture, tenderness and longevity to baked goods.
More specifically, sugar:
To help you identify different sugars, we developed the following guide to popular types we regularly encounter in recipes or blog posts. And, to help you when you run out of confectioners’ sugar or brown sugar, consult our list of suggested substitutions that won’t ruin the taste or texture of your famous chocolate chip cookies.
Brown sugar (light or dark)
Refined cane sugar that contains molasses which gives the sugar its brown color and rich flavor. Dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses flavor than light brown sugar. Brown sugar tends to clump due to its high moisture content
Caster/Castor sugar
Sugar with superfine or ultrafine crystals used in delicate cakes and meringues. It dissolves easily, making it ideal to sweeten berries and other fresh fruit and to use in beverages, custards and mousses.
Demerara sugar
A light brown raw sugar with large crystals. Popular in England in hot coffee or tea
Granulated, White, or Table sugar
The best known refined sugar most commonly found in sugar bowls and used in home cooking. The crystals are fine or extra fine.
Muscovado or Barbados sugar
A dark brown raw sugar with a pronounced molasses flavor popular in Great Britain. The crystals are coarser and stickier than regular brown sugar.
Piloncillo (pee-lon-SEE-yoh)
An unrefined sugar used in Mexican cooking. More flavorful than regular brown sugar, piloncillo has a complex smoky, caramel and earthy taste. It's sold by the ounce in a cone shape (piloncillo means "little pylon"). In recipes, piloncillo is measured by weight. Chop or grate before using.
Powdered, Confectioners’ or Icing sugar
White granulated sugar ground to a smooth powder. Contains cornstarch to prevent caking. Supermarket varieties are 10X confectioners’ sugar, the finest grind available.
Raw sugar
Sugar that’s processed up to the point before the molasses is removed. Includes demerara sugar, muscovado or Barbados sugar, sucanat and turbinado sugar.
Sanding sugar
A coarse sugar with large, sparkly crystals used mainly to decorate the tops of baked goods
Sucanat®
Pure dried sugar cane juice with a light caramel color, grainy texture and strong molasses flavor.
Turbinado sugar
Raw sugar that’s been steam cleaned to remove contaminates, leaving a tan colored sugar with a light molasses flavor and coarse crystals.
Sugar Substitutions for Baking
1 cup of white granulated sugar equals:
1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white granulated sugar + 1-2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 cup raw sugar = 1 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 cup caster/castor (superfine) sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar processed in blender, food processor or grinder until very fine
Homemade powdered sugar: Blend or grind 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, arrowroot or tapioca starch to a fine powder. Use immediately or store in an airtight container
Using sugar substitutes for low-sugar or sugar-free baking
References
Categories: Food & Recipes