Inversion syrup, this term may be unfamiliar to people who are not exposed to Chinese and Western pastry baking. In fact, inversion syrup is not only the most important raw material in the production of Chinese pastry-mooncakes, but also plays an important role in the baking of Western-style pastries. In the pictures below, which one is invert syrup? Guess what!

The answer to this question is to give it a try first! In today’s article, Zhuiyang Sunflower will take everyone to learn about the relevant knowledge about inversion syrup.

We need to use a little chemical knowledge, know the conversion principle of invert syrup, master the production method and function of invert syrup, so that we can make sweet and delicious mooncakes and rich baked goods, and master other uses of invert syrup A little trick.

The white sugar, brown sugar, soft white sugar and rock sugar we consume daily are all sucrose. The chemical formula of sucrose is C12H22O11, which is a disaccharide. In daily cooking and eating, sucrose is a very important seasoning, but because it is a disaccharide, it is not easily decomposed and digested after entering the human body. People with obesity or those who want to lose weight cannot avoid it. Moreover, excessive consumption of sucrose or Other sugary foods will also accelerate the oxidation reaction of the skin and cause premature aging of the skin. This is why we should eat less sugar or no sugar.

Disaccharides are decomposed by acid into monosaccharides that are not easily crystallized. This process is the conversion principle of inversion syrup.

Monosaccharides refer to sugars containing 3 to 6 carbon atoms in their molecular structure. Monosaccharides are sugars that cannot be hydrolyzed and are the basic units of molecules that make up various disaccharides and polysaccharides.

The above-mentioned conversion principle mentioned that disaccharides must be decomposed into monosaccharides by acid, and acid refers to citric acid. Citric acid is a very important organic acid with a wide range of uses. It is not only used in industry and the food industry, but is also found in the cosmetics we use. The chemical formula of citric acid is C6H8O7.

In the food field, citric acid is mainly used as a sour agent, solubilizer, buffer, antioxidant, deodorizer, etc. It has the functions of inhibiting bacteria, protecting color, improving flavor, and promoting the conversion of sucrose. effect. We can also use the chelation effect of citric acid to remove harmful metals. Citric acid can also prevent catalysis caused by enzyme catalysis and metal catalysis, thereby preventing quick-frozen fruits from changing color and smell.

It can be said that citric acid is our good friend.

There is a lot of natural citric acid distributed in nature. The lemons and limes we are most familiar with contain a lot of citric acid. Citrus, pineapple and other fruits also contain citric acid. In addition, citric acid can also be produced artificially. But what we call invert syrup today is made from natural citric acid.

Ingredients: 2250 grams of water, 560 grams of lemon juice, 4500 grams of fine sugar (this recipe can get 4L of syrup)

1. Purchase about 2 pounds of lemons (4 pieces) , clean it, cut off both ends, and then cut it into pieces (don’t break it too much, otherwise the juice will flow out).

2. Put the cut lemon cubes together with the peel into a juicer and crush. Crush everything and put it in a container (note: all utensils that come into contact with lemons cannot be made of iron or aluminum to avoid chemical reactions and affect the taste of the transformation)

3. Crush the lemons in batches with fine gauze. Wrap well and squeeze out the lemon juice. Be patient in this step and squeeze the lemon as cleanly as possible without leaving any residue. At this point, the lemon juice is ready.

4. Put enough water in the pot (no iron or aluminum pot, you can use a stainless steel pot), and then pour in enough fine sugar. Stir thoroughly to dissolve the fine sugar in the water. As the fine sugar melts, you will find that the water becomes viscous little by little. It doesn't matter if there is some unmelted fine sugar.

5. Bring the pot containing sugar water to a boil over medium heat.

6. After the sugar water boils, uncover the pot, stir with a spatula, and pour in lemon juice to fully incorporate.

7. After turning to low heat, continue stirring and enter the cooking state. Remember to stir constantly to prevent it from burning.

8. This step involves observing the changes in color, state and smell of the syrup, which is very critical. Before pouring in the lemon juice, the sugar water will be slightly yellow in color. After pouring in the lemon juice, after heating and stirring, the color of the sugar water will change from light yellow to deep yellow, golden yellow. After simmering for about 40 to 50 minutes, the sugar water will take on an amber color and smell sweet. The aroma is mixed with the aroma of lemon. At this time, scoop a spoonful of sugar water and drip it from a high place. The sugar water has a certain consistency, but is slightly more fluid than honey. During the cooking process, if you smell the syrup smelling mushy, please add water as soon as possible, dilute it and continue cooking.

9. Let the cooked syrup cool completely, pour it into the prepared water-free and oil-free container (you can choose a large-capacity mineral water bottle), tighten the lid, and place it in a cool and ventilated place at room temperature. Let sit.

10. During the standing process, the syrup in the container will produce floc, which is normal. Because the resting process is the beginning of the action of citric acid and the beginning of transformation. As time goes by, the floc will disappear on its own, and the color of the syrup will become more and more translucent, which is very beautiful.

11. After 15 days of resting, the inverted syrup can be opened and used.

Description: Citric acid is a good food additive. Because of the antioxidant effect of citric acid, invert syrup will not go rancid when stored at room temperature. If crystallization appears after being left for a year, you can fill it with some water and return it to the pot to cook again. The invert syrup in the first picture was brewed on September 4, 2019, and is still edible. And the color is even brighter than before. Which one is invert syrup? Did you guess it right?

Answer: The one on the left is invert syrup and the one on the right is peanut oil.

Inversion syrup has a sweet but not greasy taste, with the refreshing taste and fruity aroma of lemon.

1. Invert syrup is the master of the mooncake making process and cannot be separated.

2. It can be used to prepare and flavor Chinese and Western pastry fillings.

3. Preparation of sugar water for daily drinking, especially when the mouth is bitter and weak, brewing a cup of syrup water can quench thirst and increase energy.

4. In daily frying and frying, when sucrose is needed to adjust the flavor, invert syrup can be added to replace sucrose.

5. If you have a baby at home, you can use invert syrup when making baby food supplements. You don’t have to worry about eating sugar being bad for your baby, because invert syrup is already a simple sugar.

6. ...There are many more, waiting for you to discover by yourself.

Note: Please continue to pay attention to ""-Zhuiyang Sunflower. In the process of making delicious food, invert syrup needs to be used, which will be stated in the article.

Slow cooking life will give you different surprises. Savor the slow life and live a sweet life! You can experience the chemical reaction yourself.