hardened brown sugar--anything to be done?

My wife can't have sugar so I have a partial bag of brown sugar sitting in the pantry (sealed in a zip lock baggy) that had turned to stone over time. I tried using some recently for a cake for a party for friends. I have tried the blender and the food processor to make the stuff usable... the blender did the best (we have a vita-mix with 4hp), but creates a cloud of dust (cough-cough! hehe). I notice through all this, there are STILL bits that are unchopped and just don't seem to dissolve. Shall I just trash it? Just curious, since if I buy more it'll prolly sit again due to slow usage on our part.

Thanks, Glenn

Reply to
bagsmode
Loading thread data ...

microwave. briefly.

Reply to
Eric Jorgensen

That works for me everytime! I keep the sugar in an airtight jar with the piece of bread--if you don't have an airtight jar, just put a piece of Saran wrap over the top of the jar and put lid on---works just as well.

Reply to
Gtwy4cb

It is difficult to completely pulverize hardened brown sugar as the invert syrup present in it(which makes it lumpy) make it tough to reduce in particle size. Even if you are using hammer mill or a ball mill where you can maximize the yield but as the sugar becomes hot it tends to melt down there still remains residues that are persistent. This is what happens in small scale pulverizing( the heat caused by friction cause some to melt and then form lumps.

I suggest after you pulverized the bulk of it by any means convenient to you; just dissolve the remaining small hard brown sugar particles in a quantity boiling water to create a sugar solution. Cool it down and use it as part of the liquid used in the cake recipe.Definetely you are using water are you? Then replace it with cooled sugar solution. Roy

Reply to
Roy Basan

Not all recipes contain water.. some of the things that I'm making, the only moisture is from eggs and butter.

I'll try the bread first.. then nuke.. if still hard, I can try heating it with the butter. If none of this works I'll just boil then drink it. LOL

Thanks again for all the help :)

Glenn

Reply to
bagsmode

Well in that case you have can possibly grind it further with some coarse granulated sugar to minimize the tendency to lump such as for example a quarter (or to a third)of the brown sugar lumps is added to three quarters(or two thirds) of the coarse white sugar.Then grind it. The amount of invert syrup in the brown sugar is already diluted so you can practically grind it uniformly. The only difference is you have to use that mixed ground sugar in your recipes.And you are not using anymore the pure brown sugar. Roy

Reply to
Roy Basan

I've put a dampened paper on top and it softens it up overnight.

Reply to
Snowfeet1

Put a slice or two of bread with the sugar in a sealed baggie and give it a day or two. Works every time. If you have an airtight container to do it it, like a canning jar, that is even better.

kimberly

Reply to
Nexis

The bread will work...I've turned sugar that was hard enough to use for bricks. But if all else fails....make toffee!

kimberly

>
Reply to
Nexis

"Nexis" wrote in news:BbZMa.87208$Pc5.9112@fed1read01:

A palm sized piece of terra cotta clay planting pot (cleaned of course) Placed inside the container the brown sugar is in (after being soaked in water and lightly patted dry) will keep the brown sugar from getting hard for weeks and can readily be re-charged with water. Several sources sell terra cotta "teddy bears" to accomplish the same thing.

Reply to
hahabogus

I went through this a long time ago then found out you can make your own brown sugar fresh any time you want, just add one tablespoon molasses to each cup of sugar, or fraction thereof.

Sugar (WHITE), I never use it, I always use that light brown (less refined better-tasting stuff that has a very pleasant molasses odor and taste). Here in West-Central Florida, I buy "Florida Crystals Natural Sugar (Milled Cane)." $2.50 for a 48oz container. White sugar has all the life taken from it and charred animal bones are used in the refining process. That's a pleasant thought, isn't it? The sugar I use is minimally processed, so it doesn't have all the life squeezed out, and it tastes a whole lot better. What more could you ask for?

I used to think that the brown sugar you buy in boxes at the grocery store was healthier for you than white sugar, then I learned it is made by adding molasses to white sugar.

DashTwo

------------------------------------------------

Nexis wrote:

Reply to
DashTwo

That's not brown sugar. that's white sugar with molasses added.

No it's not. Some brands of products marked 'brown sugar' may well be mostly beet sugar and molasses, but they're not really brown sugar. Well, it's sugar that's brown, I'll grant you that.

Molasses is a product of the refinement of sugar cane. Brown sugar is about 96% sugar and the other 4% is largely molasses, but it's the result of more than just molasses and sugar, and a manufacturing process that encourages the growth of sugar crystals in a syrup. The physical properties of these crystals are significantly different from white sugar dampened with molasses.

From sugar.org:

"Brown sugar consists of sugar crystals coated in a molasses syrup with natural flavor and color. Many sugar refiners produce borwn sugar by boiling a special molasses syrup until brown sugar crystals form. A centrifuge spins the crystals dry. Some of the syrup remains giving the sugar its brown color and molasses flavor. Other manufacturers produce brown sugar by blending a special molasses syrup with white sugar crystals."

Reply to
Eric Jorgensen

Reply to
J A Emerson

Hello All!!!!

I just found this newsgroup and I am enjoying all of the tips and discussion. I just wanted to add that I use the crust of bread or the sliced apple to keep the brown sugar moist as well. It works all the time, the only problem is it's not a last minute fix. Does anybody know why the bread and the apple won't mold in the brown sugar? (this has always baffled me!) Looking forward to more tips! Jac

Reply to
Jaci Reichert

Reply to
Peggy

Keeping brown sugar soft was always an ongoing problem for me. I bought one of the terra cotta disks that you soak in water, and that certainly worked, but not long enough because I would end up throwing it out because the sugar had those nasty lumps, it was dry and I'd end up throwing it out. Last December I bought a vacuum sealer and I thought I'd see if it really kept brown sugar soft. Well, six months later, it's as soft as the day I packaged it every time I've opened the bag to use some. Now I can stock up on brown sugar and other baking perishables, including spices, and simply vac seal them for guaranteed freshness.

Reply to
Lynne

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.