No Brown Sugar? This Easy 2-Ingredient Repair Works Each Time

Made-from-scratch brown sugar is not a brand new concept by any stretch, however prior to now, it wasn’t one thing I ever cared about. Partly, I used to be skeptical {that a} “home made” mixture of refined white sugar and mass-produced molasses might by some means style any higher than “actual” brown sugar…a mixture of refined white sugar and mass-produced molasses.

My logic was that, until you bothered to begin with a jar of significantly scrumptious small-batch molasses, there have been no actual positive aspects available—a logic that fell aside the second a buddy of mine known as in a panic as a result of she was out of brown sugar for her favourite dessert, with visitors all however on her doorstep. Guiding her by the method of creating the swap was straightforward, she did not should drop all the pieces to drive to the shop, her bourbon pecan layer cake turned out stunning, and I realized the true worth of home made brown sugar: expedience.

For those who ever run out of brown sugar, falling again on a jar of molasses to whip up an emergency batch is a superb plan B—as long as you go about it the proper means. At the start, which means utilizing true molasses and never blackstrap, which ought to by no means be utilized in any recipe until it is known as for by identify (full report on that subject right here). The second half of the equation is definitely understanding the equation. See, store-bought brown sugar is about 10% molasses by weight, however that does not imply you’ll be able to simply multiply a given weight of white sugar by 0.1 to find out how a lot molasses is required. At first blush, that calculation makes good sense (and that is the method you will see bandied about most frequently on-line), nevertheless it winds up making the brown sugar too mild. Even lighter than mild brown sugar, which is what most recipes take into consideration.*

Except a recipe calls particularly for “darkish brown sugar,” it is protected to imagine mild brown sugar is what the writer meant. Making darkish brown sugar is about including not simply extra molasses but in addition darker molasses, and, for the aim of this publish, that is a bit extra difficult a subject than I am ready to unpack.

For a cup of white sugar (seven ounces), 10% is about one tablespoon (3/4 ounce), which is fairly handy for folk measuring by quantity. However as soon as the white sugar and molasses are combined collectively, you have acquired 7 3/4 ounces complete, making that molasses simply 9% of the full weight. Now, you could be pondering, “Shut sufficient,” however within the realm of baking, that may be a harmful factor. With out a full 10% molasses content material, home made variations will behave extra like white sugar than brown, which may have a big effect on cookies particularly, altering how they unfold, rise, and brown. You may take a look at a full breakdown of these variations right here.

With a purpose to precisely mix your personal mild brown sugar at residence, it is vital to keep in mind that for nevertheless a lot molasses you add, that a lot white sugar wants to come back out. Going again to my earlier instance, seven ounces of sugar must be diminished to six 1/4 ounces, in order that 3/4 ounce molasses shall be 10% of the full weight. Spelling it out sounds difficult, however do not overthink it. All it’s essential to bear in mind is that 6 1/4 ounces of white sugar plus 3/4 ounce molasses equals seven ounces of brown sugar.

You can also make up an enormous batch that may hold for a few month, however if in case you have a scale, you’ll be able to calculate precisely how a lot white sugar and molasses you will want to switch any given amount of brown sugar. Simply multiply the load of the brown sugar by 10% to learn how a lot molasses you will want, then subtract that quantity from the entire to find out the load of the white sugar you will want. For those who occur to have any flippantly toasted sugar readily available, maybe left over from blind-baking a pie, it may be used like white sugar so as to add some caramel notes that may give home made brown sugar a extra nuanced sweetness.

The precise colour of the outcomes will rely in your particular model of molasses and whether or not or not the sugar is toasted, however you’ll be able to usually anticipate it to have a considerably redder undertone than conventional brown sugar (doubtless as a result of deeper brown shades discovered in additional concentrated types of molasses). Ounce for ounce, home made brown sugar is extra voluminous than what you discover on the retailer, just because it hasn’t had an opportunity to compact over time. However, as long as it is measured precisely, in each preparation and use, it should behave in a lot the identical means.

On the left, we’ve samples from a batch of my favourite One-Bowl Oatmeal Cookies made with industrial brown sugar, and, on the proper, cookies made with DIY brown sugar. Whereas they unfold somewhat extra irregularly general, the latter cookies nonetheless averaged about three inches throughout. If I instantly found I used to be 86’d on brown sugar, I might gladly take that discrepancy over the choice of getting no cookies in any respect.

I will doubtless at all times favor the comfort of economic brown sugar, which is each inexpensive, dependable, and engaging. However when push involves shove, figuring out how one can make a comparable brown sugar from scratch is a trick all bakers ought to sustain their sleeves.

February 2017