Brown sugars explained - which to use when cooking | Little Aussie Communities (2024)

You get sent to the supermarket to get to pick up some brown sugar, only to be confronted by a huge range which can be oh so confusing. Do you choose muscovado, which is brown, or bog-standard brown sugar (obviously also brown)?

• Brown sugars are either made by directly boiling a brown sugar syrup or mixing white sugar with various amounts of molasses.
• Most brown sugars are refined white sugar with varying amounts of molasses added.
• Brown sugars tend to be softer and moister than granulated white sugars.
• If brown sugar is used instead of granulated white sugar the result will be more flavourful and moister, but the browning temperature will be lower.
• Brown sugars tend to clump because they contain more moisture than white sugars, allowing baked goods to retain moisture well and stay chewy.
• Glucose and fructose are present in the molasses syrup coating the crystals. White sugars are 99% sucrose and brown sugars vary between 85-92%.

Light brown sugar

• Commonly packaged as ‘brown sugar’.
• Their crystals are coated with a molasses like syrup.
• Light brown sugar is often used in sauces and most baked goods.
• These attract and keep more moisture in the sugar itself, making brown sugars great for baking, as the products will stay fresher for longer.

Gooey and chewy caramel slice

Dark brown sugar

• Dark brown sugar has a deeper colour and stronger molasses flavour than light brown sugar.
• Darker sugars are more intensely flavoured, as the colour relates to the amount of molasses.
• The rich, full flavour makes it ideal for gingerbread, puddings and cakes, and other full flavoured foods including barbecue sauces and marinades.

Good old fashioned gingerbread cake

Demerara sugar

• Also known as raw sugar.
• Demerara sugar often comes from the first crystallisation of cane juice, producing yellow gold crystals. This partial processing keeps more of the naturally present molasses.
• It has a blonde colour, mild brown sugar flavour and larger crystals than standard brown sugar.
• It has a rich toffee taste and is perfect for baking or adding to your morning cuppa if you take sugar.
• Demerara and light brown/brown sugar can be exchanged in recipes.

Brilliant burgers with onion jam

Muscovado sugar

• Also known as Barbados sugar, this is an unrefined cane sugar in which the molasses has not been removed.
• Muscovado sugars are the crystallisation of the dark syrup forming very small, sticky, intensely flavoured sugars.
• Very dark brown and has a strong molasses flavour.
• The crystals are slightly coarser and stickier than regular brown sugar giving it a sandy texture.
• It’s excellent in savory dishes like barbecue sauces and marinades.

Melt-in-the-mouth BBQ pork ribs

Palm Sugar

• Most palm sugar is extracted from the Asian sugar palm tree.
• The sap is collected from the flowers or from a tap in the trunk, then boiled down to a crystallised mass.
• It is mostly used in Indian, Indonesian and some African cuisines.
• A lighter palm sugar is also used extensively in Thai cuisine. This lighter palm sugar is the most common palm sugar used in Australia.
• This should be grated or chopped for use.

Tasty tamarind beef salad

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