When the juice of sugar cane or sugar beet is extracted and heated, the result is a brown syrup called molasses. White sugar is made by removing sugar crystals from molasses with a centrifuge. Sugar is further processed until all molasses is extracted.
Brown sugar is made by one of the following two ways: either adding molasses to white sugar again, or only partially processing the raw sugar, thus retaining part of the raw molasses. It is molasses that gives brown sugar rich color and a little extra nutritional value. If brown sugar is exposed to the air, the water in molasses will dry, which will cause brown sugar to harden and agglomerate.
So, which one should you use? Much depends on the recipe and your taste. Because brown sugar contains more water than white sugar, it is most suitable for soft and dense baked goods, such as fruit cakes or gingerbread biscuits. It also has a richer flavor. In contrast, sugar works well in baked goods that need fermentation, such as souffle and meringue. It is also sweeter and tastes more neutral.
If the recipe specifies one sugar instead of another, it is best to stick to it, because the moisture content may affect the baking effect. If the specific sugar is not listed in the recipe, please feel free to try it. If the recipe needs brown sugar and you only have white, you can use 1 cup of white sugar and 1/4 cup of molasses to make light brown sugar, and 1 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of molasses to make dark brown sugar, according to fine cooking.
The following are different types of white sugar and brown sugar listed by the sugar industry association. Some of these forms are specially designed for the food industry and are usually not available in grocery stores.
refined sugar
White sugar, also called "ordinary sugar", is what you can find in most sugar bowls. It is also the most common sugar in recipes. Its crystal is small and will not agglomerate, so it is widely used.
The powdered sugar is ground into smooth sugar. After sieving, a small amount of corn starch is mixed to prevent caking. Also called candy, it is very suitable for icing and whipping cream.
Ultrafine sugar is the smallest crystal size in white sugar. This makes it easy to dissolve, even in cold liquids. It is used for drinks and delicate desserts, such as mousse. Ultrafine sugar is also called strip sugar or fine sugar.
The crystal size of fruit candy is small and uniform, which is very suitable for dry mixing (such as gelatin and powdered drinks).
The larger crystal size of coarse sugar helps to maintain its color and shape, which is very important for soft candy and some wines.
Sugar has large or fine crystals and is usually brightly colored. It reflects light and flash, and is very suitable for sprinkling on baked goods.
The baker's special candy is thinner than fruit candy. Specially developed for baking industry, it is very suitable for adding sugar to doughnuts and biscuits.
brown sugar
Light brown and dark brown sugar are basically the same, although the dark version has more molasses, so the taste of molasses is stronger. If only "brown sugar" is indicated in the recipe, please choose light brown, and keep dark color for all kinds of foods such as gingerbread biscuits, baked beans and barbecue sauce.
Turbinado sugar is also called crude sucrose or demerara sugar. This sugar has been processed enough to ensure safe intake-it was found in the raw sucrose bag of the local cafe.
Annona sugar or Barbados sugar is not refined and contains all natural molasses. So the color is very dark and has a strong molasses flavor. Crystals will be thicker and more sticky than ordinary brown sugar.
Free-flowing or granular brown sugar is not as moist as most brown sugar, which means it will not agglomerate. It is very suitable for pouring oatmeal and easy to measure and sprinkle water. In order to get the taste of brown sugar and allow it to flow freely, sugar must go through a special process, leaving only a little water.