Suppose you need hardened brown sugar fast or want to save some for your next baking endeavors. Learn how to keep brown sugar soft. Brown sugar sitting in your pantry can soften in various ways.
Whether it is light or dark, brown sugar is a necessary component for baking and cooking. Additionally, there are techniques to stop that. Discover them all here, along with some quick, deliciously sweet, savory dishes that use lovely brown sugar.
Describe Brown Sugar
White sugar plus molasses is known as brown sugar. Brown sugar’s distinctive hue, taste, and wetness are all attributed to molasses. Brown sugar is not considered healthier than other sugars even though it contains a tiny quantity of different elements from molasses.
Brown sugar hardens when exposed to air, unlike regular white granulated sugar. The molasses’ moisture evaporates, leaving a heavy, sticky residue due to the sugar crystals adhering to one another. As a result, the entire mixture becomes a huge, solid-as-rock mass.
Why does Brown Sugar become hard?
You might be curious as to why brown sugar initially becomes hard. The caramel hue of brown sugar is a result of molasses. Molasses is used to cover each sugar crystal. The molasses’ moisture evaporates when air exposure causes the sugar to harden.
In reality, the sugar granules adhere to one another when the coating dries, creating a solid mass. Even though hardened brown sugar is safe to consume, baking with it might be more challenging due to its disagreeable texture.
How to keep Brown Sugar soft
Prevention may be the greatest action for keeping the brown sugar supply. Brown sugar should be kept in a cold location with a tight-fitting cover in a rustproof container to prevent it from hardening in the first place. It also works with a moisture-proof, resealable bag.
Plan to utilize your brown sugar within six months after purchasing and opening it, even if it theoretically can last longer. It contains too much air and will get inside and cause the sugar to harden.
Brown sugar may also freeze, and clumps can break up with a fork after thawing. If you buy brown sugar in bulk, you may separate it into smaller storage containers to reduce the likelihood.
1. Keep In Microwave
Using your microwave to soften solidified brown sugar is the fastest method. Just put the brown sugar in a dish that can go in the microwave. Afterward, either put a wet paper towel on top of the bowl or water in another microwave-safe bowl. The microwave with the bowl inside.
Check for softness after 30 seconds of heating at half-power. If required, cook the brown sugar for 15 seconds until it is sufficiently soft.
Brown sugar lumps may need to be broken up with a fork. Do not overdo it, as this will cause the sugar to dissolve. After letting the sugar cool, you should utilize it pretty soon.
2. Use Apple or bread Slices
Accept this one, even if it may appear a little strange. Put some apple slices or a slice of fresh bread in the jar containing the brown sugar. Put your solidified brown sugar in an airtight container, or a plastic bag can seal it.
Overnight, carefully cover it and leave. The next morning, check the brown sugar for smoothness. If necessary, reseal the jar and give it another several hours before checking. Take care to take out the apples or bread.
3. With Terra Cotta Disk
However, you may use any clean piece of terra cotta, such as from a cracked pot. Instead of the specialized terra cotta discs designed to keep brown sugar soft. A terra-cotta that is suitable for use with food is what I would seek out.
Submerge the terra cotta in water for around 30 minutes, dry off the excess water, and put it in an airtight container with your brown sugar. Overnight, leave the container securely shut; the following morning, check for softness.
If you want to keep the moisture in your brown sugar, leave the disc in the container. You’ll need to repeat the clay soaking procedure every few months. But doing it frequently will prevent brown sugar from crystallizing.
4. While using a damp towel
Make a thick paper towel or kitchen towel damp. To get rid of as much extra water as possible, wring it out well. The damp paper towel should fully enclose the bowl’s opening but not make contact with the brown sugar.
Place the brown sugar in the bowl. For the brown sugar to soften, leave the covered bowl on your counter for at least one night.
You may also use a moist towel on top of aluminum foil or plastic wrap to protect the top surface of an airtight canister. If you’re wondering how to keep brown sugar soft. It is crucial to place that defense barrier between the sugar and the wet towel.
If not, you’ll see that your brown sugar has changed to a strangely white color. Once the brown sugar has melted, seal the jar and leave it overnight.
5. Soften Brown Sugar in the Oven
Place the brittle bits of brown sugar on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper to soften it in the oven. Brown sugar should heat in the oven at 250 degrees. Every few minutes or so, check on the brown sugar and break it up with a fork until soft.
Before using the brown sugar in a recipe, let it cool somewhat. Don’t try to hasten the process by increasing the oven’s temperature. Since you don’t want to burn or melt the brown sugar; you only want to soften it.
6. Freezing brown sugar
If kept for a long enough time, brown sugar will inevitably harden. Store it in your freezer if you need to use it regularly enough to prevent hardening. It must be kept in an airtight container with extra air removed, such as a zip-top bag. Take the container out of the freezer two to three hours before usage.
To make getting what you need when you’re ready to bake easier, you can freeze the sugar in unit-of-use amounts. With a little forethought and work, you can maintain your brown sugar in the ready-to-bake state.
If everything else fails, you may rehydrate the brown sugar to make it usable. Fortunately, you have several alternatives, whether you need to utilize the sugar immediately or in a few hours.
Conclusion
I hope you know how to keep brown sugar soft. To keep it adequately wet and ready to use, you must keep brown sugar in an airtight container in a dry pantry. The terracotta technique can be used to keep moisture in check.
If you purchased brown sugar in bulk, you might divide it into smaller containers, remove all the air, and freeze it. Be aware that the thawing process might take a few hours.
Also read: What is Vinegar? The Best Method of How to Make Vinegar at Home
