Sugar and Everything that makes things sweet...
By pepai123456
@pepai123456 (879)
Philippines
December 5, 2011 4:54pm CST
Granulated white Sugar, Caster sugar, Brown sugar, Turbinado sugar, molasses, honey Etc they all make our baked goods, cakes, pastries sweet. But sometimes they are overshadow by the thought that they just give sweetness and empty calories to a baked good and nothing more.Well to tell you the truth sugar has quite a few functions that makes your cake so delectable.
1.First of all it "Sweetens" the baked good and make it so heavenly sweet, but its important to remember that not all sugars have the same sweetness ex. fructose is sweeter than sucrose while sucrose is sweeter than glucose.
2.It Tenderize the baked good! how does it work? well first of all lets consider the ability of sugar to absorb moisture in it surrounding "Hygroscopic" nature, and lets remember that gluten(combination of gliadin and glutelin) in flour needs water to form strong networks to build a strong structure(in breads) and weak structure on cakes.
3.It Retains moisture and improves shelf life of a baked good why? remember the sugar is hygroscopic and what does hygroscopic things do ? they absorb moisture and it delays stalling.
4.It gives the distinct brown color, this browning is actually a result of sugar and amino acid reaction with each called "Milliard Reaction", and the breaking down of sugar or "caramelizing".
5.And it assists in leaving especially in creaming the butter and sugar and foam type cakes it stabilizes the eggwhites of your angel cake,chiffon cake,and genoise cake.
ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS: adds flavor, food for yeast, prevent microbial growth, provides acid for our baking soda(a base).
There hope this helps =3!
happy baking everyone!
6 responses
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
6 Dec 11
Another great topic Pepai, I knew quite a bit about some sugars. All ingredients in baked goods helps them to be the best that can be, and makes the baker the best that they can be also.
I have found that brown sugar gives everything a much better taste than regular sugar, etc.
Someone told me once that they use brown sugar in place of sugar because the like the taste, I totally agree with them.
Have a wonderful day.
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
6 Dec 11
I love to use the brown sugar when making squash and apples, I add brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. The brown sugar makes the difference. I also added a bit of brown sugar to my cornmeal muffins instead of white sugar, they were delicious. Some recipes call for both white sugar and brown sugar.
1 person likes this
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
6 Dec 11
Yes Brown sugar has molasses that's why it makes some brownies even fudgeyyy and chocolate cakes more moist.Real brown sugar is even healthier that's what they say X3.
but the brown sugar has limit or should I say boundary for usage, you really cant use them on chiffon cake,angel cake,genoise cake or any foam type cake I guess its because molasses in the brown sugar has a heavier mass than white caster sugar or white granulated sugar because of the impurities the molasses have, this will make the eggwhite deflate when foaming them.
but the impurities and the minerals found in the brown sugar is really good on carrot cakes, chocolate cakes,spiced cakes it just makes them have this unique scent and flavor.
have a wonderful day as well =)!
1 person likes this
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
9 Dec 11
Thanks for appreciating shanemae god bless and have a wonderful day =)
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
6 Dec 11
Thank you I'm glad I have shared something useful, and yes the humble sugar has a lot of functions during baking.
@yoyo1198 (3641)
• United States
5 Dec 11
Sometimes in recipes I will use half white and half brown sugar. I do always use sugars, brown, white, the honeys, and sometimes molasses. I don't like the sugar substitutes as they leave a distinctive "off" taste in my mouth. The substitutes don't contribute to the recipe like the sugars do.
1 person likes this
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
6 Dec 11
I really don't like those sugar substitute as well I think they cant replace the real sugars function in a baked product as well as its true sweetness.
@celticeagle (168369)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Dec 11
This is so yummy! I think you should add carrot as well. Adding carrots to chilis and casseroles adds a sweet flavor. And they have caratine in them and are good for us. Tenderize our goodies with honey. Much better for us. Molasses is good in brown bread for the holidays.
@jaihobalodiji1 (949)
• India
29 Dec 11
here is some of the great discussion you have started and thanks for the valuable imformation you have discussed with us. the sugars you have mention ablove plys a vital role in the building of the man kind,they are equally ayurvedic too, but if takes in the right proportion and the right quantity. and the baking techniques are also have valuabe imformation inside them i do follow them while making. thanks alot.
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
29 Dec 11
your welcome jaihobalodiji1 thank you for appreciating my discussion,I will try my best to learn more and share what i know on the things that i love doing.
Have a great day 
@pepai123456 (879)
• Philippines
5 Jan 12
Hi again friend in my discussion i explained the functions of sugar in baking and its not really about health issues im just stating that sugar has functions to fulfill in baking and the whole discussion is not about health issues about consuming sugar.
Off course eating or consuming to much sugar/sweet will result to diabetes and its not a good idea to do this.The whole purpose of making this discussion is for me to clarify that sugar isn't just for sweetness that we taste on our baked goods like cakes, pastries, and desserts it also makes them tender, moist, sweet, and yummy.
So all in all "THIS DISCUSSION IS NOT ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES" its the function and the science that sugar fulfill in our baking.
have a great day !
@jaihobalodiji1 (949)
• India
29 Dec 11
have a grat day to you as well, but the explaination you have giving about the second sugar is not clear with me, and you have not discuss that the does so much of sugar can cause some serious affects on our healths life diabetes.
