NEW - Search This Site
|
|
Sugary
Sweet Emergency
Recipe
Substitutions or Ingredient Equivalents for Sugars and Molasses
It's a treat baking sweets, but running out of a crucial recipe
ingredient can really gum up the works. Knowing an ingredient 's
"equivalent" or substitution can save the day. Many cake and
cookie recipes can be adapted by using modern sweeteners if you don't
have ingredients called for in vintage cookbooks or grandma's desert
recipe. Today, Mom helps cooks in the kitchen with tips on
granulated, brown, powdered sugars, and molasses.
Granulated Sugar - Most sugar is made from
sugar cane or sugar
beets. The plants are juiced, the liquid is boiled several times
to separate out the molasses and the remaining clear liquid is
crystallized into the familiar white granules on our tables. If
you don't have 1 cup granulated sugar use 1 cup packed brown sugar OR
instead of 1 cup granulated sugar use 2 cups powdered sugar.
You can also substitute sweet syrups for granulated sugars, but you'll
need to remove some of the liquid in your recipe to maintain the
correct moisture level. If you are baking it helps to add a
leavening agent like baking soda. If you don't have the soda and
you are not baking, then you can probably leave it out and still be
ok. But this may effect texture and cooking times, so keep a
closer eye on your creation.
If you don't have 1 cup granulated sugar use 1 cup honey + 1/4 tsp soda
and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup. Honey is sweeter
than granulated sugar. Or, instead of 1 cup granulated sugar use
1 1/2 cups molasses plus 1/4 tsp baking soda and reduce the liquid in
the recipe by 1/4 cup. 1 pound (package) granulated sugar = about
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar.
Powdered Sugar - Superfine or powdered sugar
is granulated sugar that
has been spun into a powder. Used for a slightly smoother texture
especially in frostings and fluffy meringues. When measuring
you'll need slightly more powdered to make up for its fine grain.
If you don't have 2 cups powdered sugar use 1 cup granulated. 1
pound (package) of powdered sugar = about 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar,
unsifted (not packed).
Confectioner's Sugar - Confectioners sugar has
been processed past the
powdered sugar phase, into an even finer powder. Today the terms
are used interchangeably, so check your packaging.
Brown Sugar - Brown sugar or sugar in the raw,
has slightly more brown
syrup, or molasses than white granulated sugar and is slightly less
sweet. As a result, brown sugar has a smokier flavor and darker
color. Golden brown sugar has less molasses than dark brown
sugar. The two can be used interchangeably, but note the darker
sugar will have a richer flavor and color and is generally better if
you're cooking pork.
If you don't have brown sugar use granulated sugar instead using the
exact same measurements. You can also make brown sugar by
combining 1 cup sugar with 1/2 cup molasses, but this may throw off the
liquid in your recipe, so be careful using this substitution when
baking cakes.
Brown sugar will remain soft if it is kept in an airtight
container. To soften brown sugar place it in an ovenproof
container and warm at 250 degrees until soft, or microwave on high for
30 seconds at a time until soft. Use it immediately as it will be
harder than before when it cools! A 1 pound package of brown
sugar equals about 2 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar.
Molasses - Molasses has a dark, sweet, smoky
taste. It is created
during the sugar refining process. Molasses is slightly
less sweet than granulated sugar. Until sugar prices fell in the
1930's molasses was the primary sweetener in American kitchens.
Sulphur dioxide is sometimes used to make molasses sweet. The
term 'unsulphured molasses' just means sulphur was not used in the
creation of your molasses and it should be the lightest and sweetest
type.
Measuring molasses is easier (and more accurate) if
you
grease the measuring cup first with a little cooking spray or
butter. One 12 fluid ounce jar of molasses equals 1 1/2
cups. One cup equals 8 fluid ounces.
Another molasses trick is to measure the molasses in the same measuring
cup as your liquid. Say your recipe uses 3/4 liquid and 1/4 cup
of molasses. First, pour the liquid up to the 3/4 cup
line. Then add your molasses until it measures 1 cup. It
will be accurate and shouldn't stick to the measuring cup.
If you
still have room in the measuring cup, add any other wet in ingreditnts
and mix everything together
before adding it to the dry ingredients. You'll get a better
mixed batter.
If you are making a vintage recipe I heartily recommend you spring for
a jar of molasses. Molasses is the secret ingredient in many
cookies, cakes, ham glazes and BBQ sauces. Granulated sugars will
not taste the same. If you have a jar left over, you can use
molasses in baked beans, ham, oatmeal, ice cream or added to syrup and
butter on pancakes.
Molasses Health Tip: One tablespoon of molasses
provides 8% of
your daily recommended iron and 4% of your calcium!
One cup of molasses equals 1 cup honey. Bear in mind honey is
sweeter than molasses and will change the flavor slightly. OR
instead of 1 cup of molasses try 3/4 cup granulated sugar (brown
is preferable) plus 1/4 cup water. The extra water (or other
liquid) is called for to make up for the moisture in molasses. It
is important to replace it if you're baking cakes or breads.
Blackstrap molasses is the thickest, darkest and least sweet type
of molasses and isn't recommended for baking.
Sugar Baking Tip: Baking relies on a bit
more science than your
average frosting recipe. Not only do the ingredients add flavor,
they may also serve a specific function like making your cake rise, or
binding ingredients together. For best results when baking,
measure all your ingredients accurately; like leveling off your
measuring cup with the edge of a knife and setting the cup on the
counter when measuring liquids. When you resort to a substitution
just be aware that your texture or flavor may be slightly
different. Good luck and happy
cooking! cornstarch.
Dissolve in water or broth for easier mixing.
As a general rule if you are baking in
the oven, you must follow the
recipe as closely as possible. Not only do your ingredients add
flavor, they also serve a specific function like making your bread
rise, or binding ingredients together.
If you are using milk or
cream in a sauce, you have more
flexibility. For example, if you
are making gravy, a splash of milk instead of cream is fine. The
fat content should only effect the flavor of your sauce, not the final
product.
|
|
