- Brown sugars are either made by directly boiling a brown sugar syrup or mixing white sugar with various amounts of molasses.
- Most brown sugars are refined white sugar with varying amounts of molasses added.
- Brown sugars tend to be softer and moister than granulated white sugars.
- If brown sugar is used instead of granulated white sugar the result will be more flavourful and moister, but the browning temperature will be lower.
- Brown sugars tend to clump because they contain more moisture than white sugars, allowing baked goods to retain moisture well and stay chewy.
- Glucose and fructose are present in the molasses syrup coating the crystals. White sugars are 99% sucrose and brown sugars vary between 85-92%.
Light brown sugar
- Commonly packaged as ‘brown sugar’.
- Their crystals are coated with a molasses like syrup.
- Light brown sugar is often used in sauces and most baked goods.
- These attract and keep more moisture in the sugar itself, making brown sugars great for baking, as the products will stay fresher for longer.
Dark brown sugar
- Dark brown sugar has a deeper colour and stronger molasses flavour than light brown sugar.
- Darker sugars are more intensely flavoured, as the colour relates to the amount of molasses.
- The rich, full flavour makes it ideal for gingerbread, puddings and cakes, and other full flavoured foods including barbecue sauces and marinades.
Good old fashioned gingerbread cake
Demerara sugar
- Also known as raw sugar.
- Demerara sugar often comes from the first crystallisation of cane juice, producing yellow gold crystals. This partial processing keeps more of the naturally present molasses.
- It has a blonde colour, mild brown sugar flavour and larger crystals than standard brown sugar.
- It has a rich toffee taste and is perfect for baking or adding to your morning cuppa if you take sugar.
- Demerara and light brown/brown sugar can be exchanged in recipes.
Brilliant burgers with onion jam
Muscovado sugar
- Also known as Barbados sugar, this is an unrefined cane sugar in which the molasses has not been removed.
- Muscovado sugars are the crystallisation of the dark syrup forming very small, sticky, intensely flavoured sugars.
- Very dark brown and has a strong molasses flavour.
- The crystals are slightly coarser and stickier than regular brown sugar giving it a sandy texture.
- It’s excellent in savory dishes like barbecue sauces and marinades.
Melt-in-the-mouth BBQ pork ribs
Palm Sugar
- Most palm sugar is extracted from the Asian sugar palm tree.
- The sap is collected from the flowers or from a tap in the trunk, then boiled down to a crystallised mass.
- It is mostly used in Indian, Indonesian and some African cuisines.
- A lighter palm sugar is also used extensively in Thai cuisine. This lighter palm sugar is the most common palm sugar used in Australia.
- This should be grated or chopped for use.
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