Types of sugar and their characteristics

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

A product so familiar to everyone may actually be completely different from what we know it to be. There are different types of sugar, which differ in many ways. There is even a separate classification, which is based on the following criteria: raw materials, color, type or consistency of the sweet product. Interesting? Then read on!

Sweet family

Of course, the best known and most common is white sugar or granulated sugar. In second place is the classic version of the refined product - lumpy. It is these two species that are most often found on store shelves, and are also used in everyday life and cooking. Lump and granulated sugar is obtained by processing sugar beets.

There is also brown sugar, which is not often found on store shelves. There is little information about it, so ordinary buyers are very doubtful about such a variation of a familiar product. The types of sugar are varied, and it is worth getting to know each one better.representative of a sweet family.

Granulated Sugar

Also known as granulated sugar, there are many varieties of it. However, this product is most often found in professional cooking, it is used to prepare delicious desserts - it is not so easy to find it in free sale. Granulated sugars differ primarily in the size of the granules themselves. In addition, the types of sugar and their characteristics underlie another classification - by purpose and area of use.

The most common sugar that can be found in every home is called Regular Sugar by sugar experts. It is this product that is needed for most recipes that are found in cookbooks. It is this variety that housewives use to prepare a wide variety of desserts. In fact, it is an ideal product that is suitable for use in the confectionery and culinary field. Ordinary sugar is also found in food factories.

Types of sugar and their characteristics, as already mentioned, led to the creation of a classification based on the area of use of the product. So, it’s worth getting to know unusual varieties that are not so common on store shelves.

Types of confectionery sugar

Currently, the confectionery and culinary sectors are developing along a special trajectory. And often the special taste of a particular dish is due to the unique type of ingredient used. For example,there are specific types of sugar that are widely used in the professional field:

• Fruit sugar is in high demand among professional confectioners and cooks. It's all about more uniform crystals and flavor characteristics. This product is most often used for the preparation of all kinds of jellies and puddings, fruit gelatin and dry drink. The more homogeneous structure of the fractions does not allow the product to settle to the bottom, which means that fruit sugar is an ideal component for preparing dry mixes.
• Baker's sugar has even smaller and more uniform crystals compared to its fruit counterpart. The name of the product speaks eloquently about the area of its use. Baker's sugar is produced exclusively for professionals. This means that it is not available for sale.
• Ultrafine sugar is somewhat similar to granulated sugar, but still different from it. It is widely used for making meringues and pies with the most delicate texture. It is used to sweeten a variety of drinks, as it is this product that is able to dissolve faster at different temperatures.
• Powdered sugar. Another variety of granulated sugar familiar to everyone. In turn, confectionery powder has its own classification, which is based on grinding.

In addition to all the above varieties, there is also coarse sugar. It is clear that the size of the crystals in this case is larger than in a conventional product. It is used most often for the preparation of varioussweets, liqueurs and dessert toppings. Large crystals are distinguished by one characteristic feature - even when exposed to high temperatures, they do not break down into glucose and fructose.

Brown varieties

There are a great many varieties of brown crystals, and the main difference lies in the concentration of molasses - a substance, the amount of which determines the shade of the main confectionery ingredient. Brown sugar is distinguished by raw materials, and it is obtained from sugar cane by evaporating the extracted syrup.

There are a great many variations of crystals with a pronounced or barely noticeable brown tint. However, attention should be paid to especially remarkable varieties that have found their application in the confectionery and culinary field:

1. Brown sugar itself, the color range of which varies from light brown to deep brown. Used to make various sauces, sweet pastries and glazes.

2. There are truly unique types of sugar, photos of which eloquently demonstrate their distinctive features. Even the most popular varieties of beet and cane sugar have their own characteristics and properties. So, for example, a typical sugar beet product can be crystal white and yellow. It all depends on the degree of purification.

Mexican Shades

• Turbinado is widely used for sweetening drinks and cookingconfectionery masterpieces. Represents rather small crystals which color scale fluctuates from light brown to brown shades. Has a subtle molasses scent.
• Muscovado. At its core, it is the most common unrefined cane sugar. It is distinguished by a dark brown tint and a high content of molasses. A fairly sticky product that is widely used to create a variety of pastries, soft drinks and desserts. Muscovado is an indispensable ingredient in numerous sauces and barbecues.
• Demerara. This variety has common features with the previous variety. First of all, demerara sugar has the same moist texture as muscovado, contains a large amount of molasses and has a rich taste. This variety of the main culinary ingredient is widely used for the preparation of gourmet pastries, exclusive tea or coffee. This variety is very popular in Moorish cuisine.

Unique types of sugar and how they differ

In India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, palm sugar is very popular. The product is obtained from coconut, date or wine palm, as well as from sugar cane and arenga. Its shades range from light brown to brown. Molasses has a pronounced earthy flavor. Palm sugar is widely used to make delicious sauces, soups, desserts and other traditional dishes.

Mexican sugar - Piloncilo - widely usedto prepare a wide variety of national dishes. The product is most often found not in a crumbly form, like its counterparts, but in the form of small pyramids or pylons (by the way, this is what determined the name of the sweet product). Piloncillo has a strong smoky and aniseed flavor, and when carefully tasting the Mexican sugar, you can smell a strong taste of molasses.

Sugar products

In the modern culinary and confectionery industry, there are not only special types of granulated sugar or refined sugar. There are also specific varieties of sweet products that can also be classified as types of sugar.

So, the list opens with invert sugar, which is obtained as a result of the decomposition of sucrose. The product consists of equal parts fructose and glucose, has a liquid consistency and is much sweeter than regular granulated sugar. This product is most often used in the food industry for the production of alcoholic beverages or artificial honey. Invert sugar effectively retains moisture and slows down the crystallization process.

Pale molasses is a type of invert sugar. This product is easy to prepare at home - it is enough to heat a small amount of water, citric acid and the granulated sugar itself. The resulting syrup can be used to make a wide variety of desserts.

Maple syrup

You already know what types of sugar are and which are the most common, nowIt is worth paying attention to another product, which also belongs to a motley group of culinary and confectionery ingredients. It's about maple syrup. The sweet treat is made from red, black or special sugar maple. The syrup is harvested during the "weeping" of the tree - starting in February and ending in April.

About 80% of all maple syrup production comes from Quebec, Canada, and 6% of supplies come from Vermont, USA. Based on this, there was also a classification of maple syrup: American and Canadian varieties.

A special commission closely monitors the quality of the Canadian product. On the territory of Russia and Europe, it is quite possible to buy real maple syrup. The question is only in the amount - the pleasure is not cheap.

Features of sugar

Depending on the type of sweet product, granulated sugar and some types of refined sugar are isolated.

Compressed sucrose crystals, which actually look like sand, bear the same name. Refined is ordinary white sugar pressed into cubes. Cubes are good for making tea or coffee - after all, it is much more convenient to take a piece with tongs than pour it with a spoon. But for culinary or confectionery recipes, it is better to use a crumbly product.

Under appropriate conditions, the sweet ingredient in desserts can be stored for up to 8 years, but manufacturers prefer to limit storage to only two years.

Sucrose may not always be he althy. If there are certaindiseases, pure granular sugar is best replaced with artificial or natural analogues.

Liquid sugar

Different types of granulated sugar and refined sugar are not always dry products. There is also a special type of sweet product - liquid sugar, which is often used in the food industry. At its core, it is an ordinary solution of crystals in water. There are several types of syrup:

• Extra Liquid Sugar is a sweet syrup made from highly refined sugar. The syrup itself has a slightly yellowish tint.
• Liquid sugar of the first category.

Sugar syrup is used in the confectionery or culinary industry to make jellies, jams and other desserts.

Yellow varieties

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that there is simply a colossal number of types of this sweet product. Special attention should be paid to yellow varieties of sugar, which are distinguished by a soft texture. They are produced in Latin America and India. The large size of the crystals, the molasses film on their surface, as well as the characteristic aftertaste are the distinguishing features of this variety.

In some countries, soft sugars are made from carefully refined cane sugar. To do this, it is artificially thickened and poured into containers, after which the mass hardens and is crushed into pieces.

There is a completely uniquevariety - candy sugar. It is a single crystal, weighing up to 5 g. This variety is used to make tea, coffee and other drinks.

It turns out that even the most familiar product can be very diverse.