I don't use white sugar much at home these days. Now I reach for a more unrefined cane sugar like turbinado, or experiment with maple syrup or honey as sweeteners. But the problem with this, for bakers in particular, is that you have to be careful about adding extra liquid to a recipe because it changes the entire composition and structure. So what's a good solution if you want to add a deep, dark sweetener like maple syrup? Pick up a bag of maple sugar!
If you have yet to come across maple sugar at the store, it's made by evaporating the liquid (water) out of maple syrup. It has much larger granules than, say, white sugar and a really distinct maple flavor that is so wonderful in a variety of baked goods, especially this time of year. I've used it in muffins, scones and waffles with great success.
As Emma explained in a post introducing maple sugar a few years ago, you shouldn't substitute maple sugar for white sugar completely in a recipe. The flavor will be pretty strong (and it would be an expensive decision since maple sugar is on the pricey side!). Instead, start by subbing 1/3 to 1/2 of the white sugar for maple sugar and see how you like the flavor. Take it from there the next time you bake up your favorite recipe.
Read Emma's Piece: Good Product: Maple SugarMore on Natural Sugars: A Few Favorite Sweeteners by 101 Cookbooks
More On Getting Away From White Sugars: Sweeter Still by Sarah Britton for Bon Appetit
Other Great Uses:
1. Coffee and Tea: Using maple sugar in coffee or tea is a great way to impart a subtle maple flavor into your morning joe.
2. Your Morning Oats: There are days when I feel like maple sugar came about solely to join winter morning oats. Sprinkle a spoonful on top of your favorite oatmeal in the morning for a really warm maple sweetness that beats white sugar in complexity any day.
3. Pancakes and Waffles: I've done a few things here. I'll use maple sugar in the batter itself, but more often than not, I sprinkle it on top as more of a garnish. If the pancakes or waffles are hot off the griddle, the maple sugar will melt a bit and, if you use a little butter, it becomes a very merry maple/butter marriage.
4. Granola: I don't use added sugar when I make granola, but I do use maple syrup, and I'm eager to try cutting back a little on the syrup and trying maple sugar as an ingredient. Has anyone had any luck with this?
5. Warm Grain Bowls: If you do warm bowls of quinoa, millet, or couscous in the morning, maple sugar is a dream sprinkled on top. I'll often roast a few apples or chop a couple of ripe pears and in no time, a dreamy breakfast is made.
6. Yogurt: Maple sugar in yogurt is my new favorite snack. With very little of the sugar, you'll have a lovely, complex maple flavor.
How have you used maple sugar in the kitchen?
Related: Maple Cupcakes from Baked Explorations
(Image: Megan Gordon)
Elburn Herald Over 100 Years of Dedicated Service ... Back to even. Comeback win over Rochelle evens KHS conference mark by Mike Slodki Kellogg's Brands Explore all Kellogg's Has to Offer and New Products Search all Kellogg's brands and products to find the information you need from the full line of Kellogg's products, including the newest product offerings. In Katrina's Kitchen Homemade Butterfingers Mad Scientist Baker ... So when I posted my Cake Batter Ice Cream Bread I was called some things: Awesome Cool Creative Weird Genius Mad Scientist-ish my favorite That was in a real email ... The Daring Bakers' Blogroll Our gluten-free, lactose intolerant, allergy, vegetarians, vegans and bakers who use alternate ingredients due to other health concerns or life styles. Welcome To Amandas Diner i am baker I'm serving up a few tasty treats for you today! The first specialty of the house is our new favorite way to have breakfast. Rainbow Pancakes Yes, that is pancake batter. How to Make Oatmeal . . . Wrong - NYTimes.com Mark Bittman on food and all things related. Tags: fast food, mcdonalds, nutrition, Oatmeal Theres a feeling of inevitability in writing about ... Joy the Baker I used to be the first person to run screaming from the sound of a carrot being juiced. Growing up, my dad was a very enthusiastic juicer and the sight of a 10 lb ... two ingredient chocolate mousse - Eat, Live, Run Good morning, muffins! For those of you devoted Eat, Live, Run readers who dont know us, were the Blue-Eyed Bakers from, er, The Blue-Eyed Bakers blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment