Packing brown sugar is a crucial component in making a consistent baking measurement. Packing brown sugar presses out all of those small pockets of air that get trapped between the sticky sugar granules, and in-turn will ensure that your sweet treat comes out as just that—sweet!
Question: When a recipe calls for brown sugar, is it always packed into the measuring cup or spoon? Answer: Yes, brown sugar should be packed into measuring cups and spoons with your fingers until even with the rim.
Packed brown sugar is exactly what it sounds like! It means to pack the sugar tightly into the measuring cup. Rather than scooping the sugar up using your cup, you'll want to use a spoon to transfer the sugar into it so that it's nice and compact.
One cup of firmly packed brown sugar can be substituted for 1 cup granulated sugar. Products called granulated brown sugar and liquid brown sugar are also available, but cannot be substituted for regular brown sugars in recipes.
So what's the difference between light and dark brown sugar? The difference between light and dark brown sugar is simply the amount of molasses each contains. Light brown sugar has less molasses per total volume of sugar (about 3.5% according to Rose Levy Beranbaum) while dark brown sugar has more (6.5%).
Yes. The only difference will be in color and taste. Just to state the obvious, light brown sugar makes baked goods with lighter color and milder flavor; dark brown, darker colored baked goods with more assertive (but still very mild) molasses flavor. Structurally, the two sugars function the same.
Brown sugar is measured a little differently. Pack brown sugar firmly into a dry measuring cup with a back of a spoon until it's level with the cup's rim. Brown sugar should hold the shape of the measuring cup when you turn it out.
In most baking recipes, you can substitute brown sugar for white sugar in a one-to-one ratio. So if your recipe calls for one cup white sugar, swap one cup brown sugar. The sweetness level will be exactly the same, but the brown sugar may change the texture of your baked goods.
When we use only brown sugar in a cookie recipe, the cookies will have more moisture and typically be chewier. Since the molasses in brown sugar also is acidic, it reacts with baking soda to help leavening; it will be puffier.
Brown sugar dries out when exposed to air for too long. The moisture provided by its molasses content evaporates—the result of plastic bags that aren't fully sealed and cardboard boxes left cracked open at the corners—transforming the malleable mix into a sweet, unusable brick.
Until the Civil War, sugar and many other household staples were packaged and sold in cotton bags.
Store Brown Sugar in an airtight container
The key to storing Brown Sugar is preventing exposure to the air. We do this for two reasons: Air will dry out your naturally moist Brown Sugar. Air may carry odours that will impact the smell and taste of your Brown Sugar.
Mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses to mimic a cup of light brown sugar. Mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons of molasses to mimic a cup of dark brown sugar. If you don't have molasses on hand, you can combine white sugar with another liquid sweetener, like maple syrup or honey.
Per Home Cook World, cool and dry means a room temperature ranging from 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 77. Conversely, a refrigerator is set to run below 40 degrees, which is low enough to harden brown sugar. The appliance's internal humidity is also a problem.
Unlike other kinds of sugar, brown sugar crystals are coated in molasses. When brown sugar is exposed to air, the moisture in the molasses evaporates, causing the sugar crystals to stick together. It's as simple as that!
Unlike white sugar or powdered sugar, brown sugar retains a certain amount of molasses, making it relatively moist. The molasses causes the sugar to clump together, so when you measure brown sugar, it's necessary to pack it into the dry measuring cup or measuring tool you're using to prevent air pockets.
Side Effects
Brown sugar when consumed in limited quantity is safe and well-tolerated by most healthy adults. However, if consumed in large amounts may increase the risk of weight gain, yeast infections and diabetes.
From a nutrition perspective, there's no advantage to using white sugar over brown sugar or vice versa, the Sugar Association says: "Nutritionally speaking, all natural sugars have relatively comparable nutritional value with approximately 15 calories per teaspoon (4.2 g)."
Light brown sugar is used more often in baking, while dark brown sugar, with a bolder molasses flavor, is delicious used as a rub for steaks. A lot of bakers, however, will use light and dark brown sugar interchangeably.
Which Sugar Is Healthier? Talking about sugar being good for health, then natural sugar or stevia is the best. They have many health benefits to offer apart from weight loss. It has all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for your body.
For light brown sugar: use ONE tablespoon molasses per ONE cup of granulated sugar. For dark brown sugar: use TWO tablespoons molasses per ONE cup of granulated sugar.
Spoon brown sugar into the measuring device and pack firmly to eliminate any air pockets; then level with a straight edge. When removed, the brown sugar should be molded to the shape of the measuring device.
Measuring Sugar
Lightly spoon sugar into a graduated measuring cup and level off with a straight edge or spatula. Brown sugar: Pack the sugar into the cup with the back of the spoon, then level off. It should hold its shape when inverted from the cup.