Dark brown sugar has at least 6.5% molasses, giving it a rich flavor and high moisture content. It can be made by adding molasses to white sugar or by minimally refining sugar. It’s important to be aware of the moisture content when using it in recipes and to store it properly. A blend of brown and white sugar can be used to temper the flavor.
Dark brown sugar is sugar that contains at least six and a half percent molasses. It has a distinctive dark brown color and rich molasses flavor, and is also very high in moisture. In cooking, dark brown sugar is used in recipes where a deeper sugar flavor is desired, and some people also enjoy the flavor in tea, coffee, and other beverages. Many markets sell dark brown sugar, along with its closely related cousin, light brown sugar, which contains three and a half percent molasses.
There are two ways a sugar refinery can produce dark brown sugar. In the first case, the refinery adds molasses to the processed white sugar until the correct percentage is reached. Sugar can also be modified with stabilizers to make pouring easier and reduce clumping. The adding-molasses technique can also be used at home by cooks who need brown sugar, adding one-and-a-half tablespoons (22 milliliters) of molasses for every cup (190 grams) of white sugar.
Other refineries make dark brown sugar by simply refining their sugar minimally so they don’t get rid of all the molasses. The natural brown sugar is produced by saving the first pressing, producing a dark brown crumble with a high molasses content, while the minimally refined shapes can be rinsed to encourage them to crystallize, making them easier to work with.
When working with brown sugar, it’s important to be aware of the higher moisture content. Swapping brown and white sugar in a recipe can have undesirable consequences, as the change in moisture content can throw off the recipe. Recipes that call for brown sugar can be dry when using white sugar, and recipes with white sugar can become overly moist when using brown sugar. It’s also crucial to store dark brown sugar in a cool, dry place in an airtight container so it doesn’t melt into a solid mass.
Some recipes call for a blend of brown and white sugar, tempering the brown sugar’s intense flavor with the more neutral white sugar. People who like a more intense brown sugar flavor can use dark brown sugar in these recipes, while light brown sugar can be used for a milder effect. Dark brown sugar will also cause baked goods to darken, as people who have experimented with different types of sugar may have already noticed.
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