Natural brown sugar
Encyclopedia
Natural brown sugar is brown sugar
made by partially refining sugar cane extract, whereas most brown sugar is made by adding molasses
to fully refined sugar, which may come from sugar beet
.
Golden coloured natural brown sugar is produced by extracting the juice from sugar cane, heating it to evaporate water and crystallise the sugar, then spinning in a centrifuge to remove some impurities and further dry the sugar. It is commonly used in baking and to sweeten beverages such as coffee and tea.
In the United Kingdom
, this sugar is typically sold as demerara sugar, after the Demerara
colony in Guyana
. This was the original source of the sugar, although most of it is now produced in Mauritius
.
In the United States
, a similar sugar is commonly called turbinado sugar, after the centrifuges or turbines in which it is spun. In the United States, most turbinado sugar is produced in Hawaii
and is often sold as an organic product. There are slight differences in taste between turbinado and demerara sugar. A third, somewhat lighter, type is produced in Mexico
under the name Azucar Morena
These types of natural brown sugar are typically paler and drier than what is normally sold as brown sugar
, and have larger crystals, particularly turbinado sugar.
Muscovado sugar
, or "Barbados sugar", is an unrefined, darker natural brown sugar that is produced without spinning in a centrifuge.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses content, or it is produced by the addition of molasses to refined white...
made by partially refining sugar cane extract, whereas most brown sugar is made by adding molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
to fully refined sugar, which may come from sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
.
Golden coloured natural brown sugar is produced by extracting the juice from sugar cane, heating it to evaporate water and crystallise the sugar, then spinning in a centrifuge to remove some impurities and further dry the sugar. It is commonly used in baking and to sweeten beverages such as coffee and tea.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, this sugar is typically sold as demerara sugar, after the Demerara
Demerara
Demerara was a region in South America in what is now Guyana that was colonised by the Dutch in 1611. The British invaded and captured the area in 1796...
colony in Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. This was the original source of the sugar, although most of it is now produced in Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a similar sugar is commonly called turbinado sugar, after the centrifuges or turbines in which it is spun. In the United States, most turbinado sugar is produced in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and is often sold as an organic product. There are slight differences in taste between turbinado and demerara sugar. A third, somewhat lighter, type is produced in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
under the name Azucar Morena
These types of natural brown sugar are typically paler and drier than what is normally sold as brown sugar
Brown sugar
Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses content, or it is produced by the addition of molasses to refined white...
, and have larger crystals, particularly turbinado sugar.
Muscovado sugar
Muscovado
Muscovado is a type of unrefined brown sugar with a strong molasses flavor.Also known as "Barbados sugar" or "moist sugar", muscovado is very dark brown and slightly coarser and stickier than most brown sugars. Muscovado takes its flavor and color from its source, sugarcane juice. It offers good...
, or "Barbados sugar", is an unrefined, darker natural brown sugar that is produced without spinning in a centrifuge.