Brown Sugar And Cookies

[Southern Belle 2067]

Dark brown sugar contains more moisture because it has invert sugar and granulated sugar does not have any at all, so the moisture burns off in the oven.

Invert sugar consist of glucose and fructose, two simple sugars. Invert sugar is especially hygroscopic, meaning that it pulls water from whenever it can be found, the best source being the air. And invert sugar keeps on drawing in moisture ever after the cookies have been baked, thus helping to keep them chewy as they cool. So when it comes to chew in cookies, regular granulated sugar with its lack of invert sugar, is simply no competition for brown sugar!!!

[Kitchen Witch]

And - don't forget -

Granulated or white sugar is highly refined cane or beet sugar. There is no difference in the sugar produced from either cane or beet.


Home cooks make invert sugar whenever a recipe calls for a sugar to be boiled gently in a mixture of water and lemon juice or cream of tartar.


During the refining process, the natural sugar that is stored in the cane stalk or beet root is separated from the rest of the plant material. For sugar cane, this is accomplished by a) grinding the cane to extract the juice,- b) boiling the juice until the syrup thickens and crystallizes- c) spinning the crystals in a centrifuge to produce raw sugar; d) shipping the raw sugar to a refinery where it is; e) washed and filtered to remove the last remaining plant materials and color; and f) crystallized, dried and packaged. Beet sugar processing is normally accomplished in one continuous process without the raw sugar stage. The sugar beets are washed, sliced and soaked in hot water to remove the sugar-containing juice. The juice is purified, filtered, concentrated and dried in a series of steps similar to sugar cane processing.



Today's brown sugar is white sugar combined with MOLASSES, which gives it a soft texture.


You can make your own with granulated sugar and molasses.


Brown sugar consists of sugar crystals contained in a molasses syrup with natural flavor and color components. Many sugar refiners produce brown sugar by preparing and boiling a special syrup containing these components until brown sugar crystals form. In the final processing the crystals are spun dry in a centrifuge; some of the syrup remains giving the sugar its characteristic brown color. Other refiners produce brown sugar by blending a special molasses syrup with white sugar crystals.


Dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses flavor. Lighter types are used in baking, butterscotch and glazes for ham. Richer-flavored dark brown sugar is desirable for gingerbread, baked beans, plum pudding and other full-flavored foods.


The two most commonly marketed styles of brown sugar are light and dark, with some manufacturers providing variations in between. In general, the lighter the brown sugar, the more delicate the flavor. The very dark or "old-fashioned"style has a more intense molasses flavor.


Raw sugar is a tan to brown, coarse granulated solid obtained on evaporation of clarified sugar cane juice. Raw sugar is processed from the cane at a sugar mill and then shipped to a refinery. It is about 98% sucrose.


Turbinado sugar is raw sugar that has been refined to a light tan color by washing in a centrifuge under sanitary conditions. Surface molasses is removed in the washing process. In total sugar content turbinado is closer to refined sugar than to raw sugar.

[Kitchen Witch]

And for simple syrup (which many recipes call for):

What is so easy about making simple syrup - it's one part sugar to one part water!


In a medium saucepan combine 1 c. sugar and 1 c. water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.

Store in covered container in refrigerator - and this keeps indefinitely!!

[Southern Belle 2067]

Thanks KW,

There was a lot I didn't know about the brown sugar, think I will make my own and save some moo la. Thanks for the new information.

Have a GREAT day