Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sugar (But Were Afraid to Ask)
If there is one thing that all candy lovers have in common it is their love of sweets, and satisfying that sweet tooth can be a complicated matter indeed. Sugar is a staple of most candy and other dessert recipes, but how much do you really know about this glorious food?
It is important, of course, for cooks and candy makers to understand the similarities and differences between the various kinds of sugar. It is also important to understand the alternatives to sugar that exist.
Before sugarcane was inexpensive and readily available, most candy and other sweets were made with honey, and many cooks still like to use honey in much of their cooking. In addition, there are a number of artificial sweeteners on the market, including NutraSweet, Stevia, Splenda and others. These artificial sweeteners are often used by dieters, diabetics and other health conscious consumers.
For many candy lovers, however, there is simply no substitute for genuine sugar, and there are a number of different sugars to choose from. A guide to these sugars follows.
Granulated Sugar
When many people talk of sugar, it is granulated sugar to which they refer. In fact, when many recipes refer to sugar, they mean granulated sugar unless they state otherwise. Granulated sugar is derived either from sugar beets or from sugarcane, and it is both produced domestically and imported from other lands. When a recipe calls for “sugar” or “white sugar” it is granulated sugar to which it refers.
Superfine Sugar
Superfine sugar is also referred to sometimes as caster sugar, and it is used in a number of recipes.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is a granulated sugar that has had molasses added. Brown sugar comes in both light and dark varieties, with light brown sugar having a milder flavor and dark brown sugar having a bolder taste. Light brown sugar is typically used for making candy, and it is important to pack the sugar down in the measuring cup in order to get the right amount for the recipe.
Confectioner’s Sugar
Confectioner’s sugar is also referred to as powdered sugar, and it is that light powdery substance that is often added to cakes, pies, cookies and other scrumptious desserts. Confectioner’s sugar is also used in a number of recipes.
