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Sugar 101 : Decoding various baking sugars

Decoding various baking sugars while baking! Here is a post which helps answers all your questions about sugar!

Have you felt daunted by the raw sugar mentioned in a recipe? Wondered what is the difference between castor sugar and icing sugar? Or whether brown sugar is what should use when the recipe calls for it or the demerara sugar will work? Decoding various baking sugars can be a challenge.

I know when I started baking these were the things that bothered me so much specially in India where at least at that time half the things weren’t even available. So here is a post that will help you solve baking sugar issues. Listing down broadly what are the sugars used in baking and how.

 

baking sugars

 

White Granulated Sugar

This is your over the counter everyday sugar. Globally, this is the most widely used sugar in baking however I feel back home in India the granules are way too big for baking and remains as granules even after baking. It also cuts into the air we build while baking so I personally avoid using it unless I can get hold of fine sugar in India (parry’s has some) or if I have to I give it a teeny whiz in the mixie

Caster Sugar

Caster sugar is essentially superfine sugar and is perfect for the bakes which need whipping of eggs and sugar etc. In India, this is what I recommended for baking.

Icing Sugar

Known by many names – icing sugar/confectioner sugar they all essentially represent super fine powered sugar which has been mixed with a small amount of cornstrach which helps the sugar in not caking. As the name suggests, this one is mainly used in icings and decorating purposes.

Brown Sugar

This actually is a larger umbrella of sugars but when it comes to India we don’t get many. There is muscovado, light brown, dark brown. Muscovado is essentially a sugar from which the molasses hasn’t been removed and hence is much less processed than your normal sugar so one can say it is healthier in a way. Light and dark brown sugars are however normal sugars in which molasses has been re-added so they are serving more the purpose of deep caramel color rather than anything else. In India (apart from at fancy imported shops) you get Trust brown sugar and it works very well in all brown sugar recipes.

Demerara Sugar

Demerara Sugar internationally is unrefined cane sugar with mild molasses flavour in it, being intact. It is beautiful to bake with and in your coffee or tea, however buy it only if you are getting the imported versions because the ones that you get locally are essentially normal sugar with caramel added to it. If a recipe asks for it and you don’t have the imported version, just use the brown sugar. Demerara sugar & Muscovado sugar and others that contain molasses before the processing are also known as raw sugars.

Raw Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar as the name suggests, is made from the flowers of coconut palm instead of sugarcane. It is said to be much more healthier than the cane sugar because of its lower GI index. Originally from Thailand it is said to be popular in parts of Kerala too traditionally. These days it is easily available in most organic stores and I frequently replace it with brown or normal sugar.

Jaggery

Our good old jaggery and how we under estimate it. I always find that at most of the places a recipe asks for raw or brown sugar, powdered jaggery works and probably works even better because of the nuttier flavour. So don’t hesitate to use jaggery in your bakes just make sure it is powdered well (note : it won’t work in cases where you have to incorporate a lot of air with eggs like meringues and sponges)

Honey

Well we all know what honey is, extracted from honey bees it is found in abundance in India and used in many cake and cookie recipes as an alternative & healthier sweetener.

Molasses

Molasses or black treacle is a by-product of the process of making sugar from sugarcane and it’s so strange that despite of the fact that India produces so much sugar, we don’t get molasses commercially. It is extensively used in baking specially while baking breads and Xmas goodies. More often than not, honey works as a replacement or liquid jaggery, but the best replacement I find is 3:1 mix of either honey or liquid jaggery and orange marmalade, works like wonder.

Pic credit – Free-stock-photos

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A to Z Challenge// Baking// Baking A-Z// Baking Basics// Cakes// Cookies// Healthy Bakes// Muffins & Cupcakes// Pies & TartsLeave a Comment

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About the Author

Monika is an ex-IT person turned into a food blogger, consultant, home baker and an amateur food photographer. She loves music, writing, food, and travel, but not necessarily in that order ;)

Sin-A-Mon Tales is a canvas for her food memories. Apart from Sin -A- Mon Tales, Monika also writes for many online websites and publications. She's an avid reader and can always be found with a book in her bag, which mostly is as bright as her. She's an obsessive traveler and is always looking for the next food story. Read More…

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