Sugar: Difference between revisions

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There are two main sources of sugar: sugar cane and sugar beet.

Raw sugars comprise yellow to brown sugars made by clarifying the source syrup by [[boiling]] and drying with heat until it becomes a crystalline solid. Raw beet sugars result from the processing of sugar beet juice, but only as intermediates en route to white sugar. Types of raw sugar include '''demerara''', '''muscovado''', '''rapadura''' and '''turbinado'''. Manufacturers sometimes prepare '''raw sugar''' as loaves rather than as a crystalline powder, by pouring sugar and [[molasses]] together into moulds and allowing the mixture to dry. This results in sugar-cakes or loaves, called '''jaggery''' or '''gur''' in India, '''pingbian tang''' in China, and '''panela''', '''panocha''', '''pile''', '''piloncillo''' and '''pão-de-açúcar''' in various parts of Latin America.

[[Sucrose|White refined sugar]] has become the most common form of sugar. White refined sugar is typically sold as granulated sugar, which has been dried to prevent clumping.

Granulated sugar comes in various crystal sizes - for home and industrial use - depending on the application:

Brown sugars come from the late stages of sugar refining, when sugar forms fine crystals with a significant molasses content, or from coating white refined sugar with a cane molasses syrup. Their colour and taste become stronger with increasing molasses content, as do their moisture-retaining properties. Brown sugars also tend to harden if exposed to the atmosphere, although proper  

handling can reverse this.

====Preserving sugar====

Preserving sugar is a kind of sugar used for making [[marmalades, jams and preserves]] using [[fruits]] that are naturally high in [[pectin]] (such as [[plums]], [[redcurrants]], [[blackcurrants]], [[gooseberries]], [[greengages]], [[damsons]] and [[Seville oranges]]). The large sugar crystals dissolve more slowly than those of standard granulated sugar and do not settle in the bottom of the pot or rise up as froth to the surface. This reduces the risk of burning and the consequent need for stirring. It also allows impurities to rise for easier skimming. Because it minimises scum, it helps to make jams (UK) / jellies (USA) clearer.

''Estimated [[Generic_conversion_table#Volume|US cup]] to weight equivalents:''

'''Conversion notes:'''<br />

[[Category:Store cupboard items]]