Sugar is a term for a
class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and
fructose characterized by a sweet flavor. In food, sugar almost exclusively
refers to sucrose, which primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet. Other
sugars are used in industrial food but are usually known by more specific
names—glucose, fructose or fruit sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.
Sugar or sucrose, is
a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in every fruit and vegetable in the plant
kingdom. It is the major product of photosynthesis, the process by which plants
transform the sugar energy into food. Sugar is produced in greatest quantities
in sugar cane and sugar beets grown in tropical and sub-tropical countries,
from which it is separated for commercial use.
A pure carbohydrate used as a sweetener around the world.Today, it is mostly produced from sugar cane, then sugar beet (which tastes no different), and other sources such as honey, sorghum/झुमिलो, palm trees and maple trees.
Types
of Sugar
1.
White Sugar/Refined Sugar
Are many different types of granulated sugar. Some of these are used only by the food industry and professional bakers and are not available in the supermarket. The types of granulated sugars differ in crystal size. Each crystal size provides unique functional characteristics that make the sugar appropriate for a specific food's special need.
a.
Bakers
Special Sugar - The crystal size of Bakers Special is even finer
than that of fruit sugar. As its name suggests, it was developed specially for
the baking industry. Bakers Special is used for sugaring, doughnuts and cookies, as well as in some commercial cake recipes
to create a fine crumb texture.
b.
Castor/caster
sugar – Spelled both "caster"
and "castor." The spelling castor sugar-used to be the prevailing
one, but caster sugar seems to be more usual now, perhaps because it is used by
some sugar manufacturers on their packaging. It is called "berry
sugar" in British Columbia.
c.
Confectioners
or powdered sugar - In Britain it is called icing sugar and in France Sucre
glace. This sugar is granulated sugar
ground to a smooth powder and then sied. It contains about 3% cornstarch to
prevent caking.
d.
Coarse sugar
- Also known as pearl or decorating sugar.
As its name implies, the crystal size of coarse sugar is larger than that
of "regular" sugar. Coarse sugar is recovered when molasses-rich,
sugar syrups high in sucrose are allowed to crystallize. These characteristics
are important in making fondants, confections
and liquors.
e.
Fruit Sugar
- Fruit sugar is slightly finer than "regular" sugar and is used
in dry mixes such as gelatin and pudding desserts,
and powdered drinks. Fruit sugar
has a more uniform small crystal size than "regular" sugar. The
unifointity of crystal size prevents separation or settling of larger crystals
to the bottom of the box, an important quality in dry mixes.
f.
Granulated sugar — Also
called table sugar or white sugar. This
is the sugar most known to consumers, is the sugar found in every home's sugar
bowl, and most commonly used in home food preparation. It is the most common
form of sugar and the type most frequently called for in recipes. Its main
distinguishing characteristics are a paper-white color and fine crystals.
g.
Sugar cubes - They are made from moist
granulated sugar that is pressed into molds and then dried.
h.
Raw sugar — It is
essentially the product at the point before the molasses is removed (what's
left after sugarcane has been processed and refined). Popular types of raw
sugar lie include demerara.
i.
Sanding
sugar - Also known as coarse sugar. A large crystal sugar that is
used mainly in the baking and confectionery industries as a sprinkle on top of
baked goods. The large baking crystals reflect light and give the product a
sparkling appearance.
j.
Superfine,
ultra-fine, or bar sugar - This sugar's crystal size is the
finest of all the types of granulated white sugar. It is ideal for delicately
textured cakes and meringues, as
well as for sweetening fruits and iced-drinks since it dissolves easily.
2. Brown
Sugar
Brown sugar (light and dark) - Brown sugar
retains some of the surface molasses syrup, which sugar imparts characteristic
pleasurable flavor. It may be refined or un-refined. Dark brown sugar has a
deeper color and stronger molasses flavor than light brown sugar. Lighter types
are generally used in baking and making butterscotch, condiments and glazes.
The rich, full flavor of dark brown sugar makes it good for gingerbread,
mincemeat, baked beans, and other full flavored foods.
a.
Demerarasugar -
Popular in England, Demerara sugar is a light brown sugar with large golden
crystals, which are slightly sticky from the adhering molasses. It is often
used in tea. coffee, or on top of hot cereals.
b.
Muscovadoor
Barbados sugar - Muscovado sugar, a British specialty brown sugar, is very
dark brown and has a particularly strong, molasses flavor. The crystals are
slightly coarser and stickier in texture than "regular" brown sugar.
c.
Free-flowing brown sugars - These sugars are specialty products produced by a
co-crystallization process. The process yields fine, powder-like brown sugar,
that is less moist than "regular" brown sugar. Since it is less
moist, it does not clump and is free- flowing like white sugar.
d.
Turbinadosugar
- This sugar is raw sugar which has been partially processed, where only
the surface molasses has been washed off. It has a blond color and mild brown
sugar flavor, and is often used in tea and .
other beverages.
3. Liquid
Sugar
Liquid
sugars - There are several types of liquid sugar. Liquid sugar
(sucrose) is white granulated sugar that has been dissolved in water before it
is used. Liquid sugar is ideal for sugar whose recipes first require sugar to
be dissolved. Amber liquid sugar is darker in color and can be used in foods
where brown color is desired.
a. Invert
sugar - Sucrose can be split into its two component sugars
(glucose and fructose). This process is called inversion, and the product is called invert sugar. Commercial
invert sugar is a liquid product that contains equal amounts of glucose and
fructose. Because fructose is sweeter than either glucose or sucrose, invert
sugar is sweeter than white sugar. Commercial liquid invert sugars are prepared
as different mixtures of sucrose and invert sugar.
Home cooks make invert sugar whenever a
recipe calls for a sugar to be boiled gently in sugar gently a mixture of water
and lemon juice.
Sugar
syrups
Sugar syrups are solutions of sugar dissolved
in water.
For Light syrup: 500 ml water to 250 g sugar
For medium syrup: 250 ml water to 250 g sugar
For Heavy syrup: 225 ml water to 250 g sugar
Preparation:
Put sugar and water into a saucepan and
dissolve sugar over low heat.
To make the syrup stronger, bring mixture to
the boil and keep boiling until you reach following stages:
1. Thread (106 – 113° C): At this point, the syrup will form
threads when dropped from a spoon into water. Use as a poaching syrup.
2. Soft ball (112 - 116° C): A blob of syrup dropped in water
will form a very soft ball. Use for Italian meringue, fondant, fudge.
3. Hard ball (121 - 130° C): A hard blob will form. Use for
toffee, hard caramels.
4. Soft crack (132 - 143° C): The ball of sugar will stretch
to form threads.
5. Hard crack (149 - 154° C): The ball can be stretched and
snapped. Use for glazed fruits.
6. Caramel (160 - 177° C): The sugar starts to change
colour, getting darker as it cooks. Stop it cooking by putting the base into
cold water. Re-melt as necessary. Use for praline, spun, sugar and caramel
sauces.
·
Sugar contain 99.99 percent of pure sugar, it
is invaluable for producing energy.
Storage Tips
·
Sugar should be stored in dry and cool place.
When purchased by the sack, it should be
stored in closed tins.
Use of Sugar
in Cooking
·
As a preservative – At the right
concentration, sugar helps to stop microorganisms growing and so prevents food
spoilage. Eg; Jams and Marmalades, etc.
·
It helps to subtle changes in flavor. Sugar
offsets the acidity and the sour flavor of many food such as – Mayonnaise
sauce, tomato products and fruit tarts, etc.
·
Pastry Uses – Used in pie, puddings, tarts,
ice cream, etc.
·
As a bulking agent – Sugar gives the
characteristic texture to a variety of foods including jams, ice cream and
cakes.
·
To raise the boiling point or lower the freezing
point.eg; Ice cream.
·
To speed up the process of fermentation with
the action of yeast during baking, so that dough rises up properly.
·
It makes the cake light and open textured
when it is battened with butter or eggs in a recipe.
·
It is used to glaze and caramelize the food
products. Eg; Cream caramel.
·
It is used various sauces and many kitchen
preparations.
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in South Asia, Southeast Asia and some other countries in Asia and the Americas. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap (see: palm sugar) without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color. It contains up to 50% sucrose, up to 20% invert sugars, and up to 20% moisture, with the remainder made up of other insoluble matter, such as wood ash, proteins, and bagasse fibers. Ancient scriptures on Ayurveda mention various medicinal uses based on method of preparation and age.
Preparation of Jaggery
Historically, the
sugarcane cultivators used crushers that were powered by oxen, but all modern
crushers are power-driven. These crushers are placed in fields near the
sugarcane plants. The cut and cleaned sugarcane is crushed and the extracted
cane juice is collected in a large vessel. A certain quantity of the juice is
transferred to a smaller vessel for heating on a furnace.
·
The vessel is
heated for about an hour. Dried wood pulp from the crushed sugarcane is
traditionally used as fuel for the furnace. While boiling the juice, lime is added to it so that all the wood particles rise to the
top of the juice in a froth, which is skimmed off. Finally, the juice is
thickened. The resulting thick liquid is about one-third of the original
volume.
·
This hot liquid is
golden. It is stirred continuously and lifted with a spatula to observe whether
it forms a thread or drips while falling. If it forms many threads, it has
completely thickened. It is poured into a shallow flat-bottomed pan to cool and
solidify. The pan is extremely large to allow only a thin coat of this hot
liquid to form at its bottom, so as to increase the surface area for quick
evaporation and cooling. After cooling, the jaggery becomes a soft solid that
is molded into the desired shape.
·
The quality of
jaggery is judged by its colour; brown means it is higher in impurities and
golden-yellow implies it is relatively pure. Due to this grading scale,
coloured adulterants are sometimes added to jaggery to simulate the golden hue.
Uses of Jaggery
Jaggery
is used as an ingredient in sweet and savory dishes in the cuisines of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iran. For example, a pinch
of it is sometimes added to sambar, rasam, and other staples. Jaggery is added to
lentil soups (dal) to add
sweetness to balance the spicy, salty, and sour components, particularly in Gujarati cuisine.
