Three things you may not know about brown sugar
• Brown sugar is simply granulated sugar coloured with molasses
• Light and dark brown sugars are usually interchangeable, but expect a slight change in the colour and flavour of your recipe
• Brown sugars are most often made of cane sugar, as
opposed to beet sugar, which has a slightly harsher flavour
Two ways to try brown sugar right now
• Melted with butter in a glaze for roasted bananas
• In the purely Canadian tarte au sucre, or brown sugar pie
Three brown sugars to experiment with
• Sucanat, essentially crystallized molasses, has large caramel-coloured granules with an intense, almost burnt flavour. Use in recipes where the sugar is mainly a sweetener
• Demerara is dry and has an amber colour, deep flavour and large crystals, and works as a decorative topping or crumble
• Jaggery is a dark sugar from the palm plant, used extensively in Asian and Indian cuisine. It has a distinctive flavour and perfume
Two ways to keep your brown sugar soft
• Place a piece of cut apple or bread in a container of brown sugar and close it tightly
• Sprinkle hardened brown sugar with a little water and place
it in a 200°F oven for a few minutes
One tip you can't live without
• Pack brown sugar down in a measuring cup when you're measuring, to keep the soft sugar consistent in volume
One collectible to buy when you see it
• Sets of antique and vintage kitchen canisters -- try the Elora Antiques Warehouse. Canisters specifically for brown sugar are a prime buy.
Read more in Recipes and Country Pantry
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