Granulated sugar is sugar cane or beet which has been processed; set aside to crystallized and then dried up so that the crystals would not form together. When people hear the word “sugar” many would think of it as granulated sugar and this variety of sugar can be purchased in most markets. Recipes which call for sugar without specifying the type of sugar to be use usually refers to granulated sugar.
Before the perfection of sugar refining process, producing granulated sugar was hard and impossible because the crystals of sugar have high moisture content causing it to clump together. As a result, sugar was made in the form of blocks or loaves which needs to be broken up for use. Cooks have to shave off the amount of sugar required while keeping the block in a cool, dry place until it is needed. Sugar blocks were largely deserted when refineries found out on how to dry sugar and to avoid it from clumping together, although cones of minimally refined sugar are often sold in sugar-producing nations.
There are various types of granulated sugar. The standard size which is the basic table sugar, but there is also the coarser grains which include nib or sanding sugar and is used as a garnish for baked goods. For example, scones or small biscuits may be sprinkled with chunks of sanding sugar. Other types are superfine sugar and caster or castor sugar which are used generally in baking and have finer grains. These sugars are pack more densely, therefore, cooks should be very cautious in replacing regular granulated sugar with superfine sugar, so that they would not end up with an over sweetened dish.
Raw granulated sugar can possibly be bought in addition to the regular refined granulated sugar. These are sugar which was processed more lightly before it has been crystallized and dried. As a result, instead of being snowy white, it has a blonde or golden shade from the remaining molasses. Raw sugar generally has larger grains, but it can be ground to make a finer grained sugar and it is more likely to stick together due to its higher moisture content.
Despite granulated sugar has been dried to cut out moisture preventing it from clumping, it is inevitable not to form together if not properly stored. Therefore, to ensure that the grains stay separated, sugar must be kept in a cool, dry place away from heat and moisture.
Other Alternatives to Granulated White Sugar
A natural substitute of using a cup of white sugar is by means of replacing it with a variety of fresh fruits. Try one cup of mashed ripe banana or applesauce. Other excellent alternative could be half a cup of puréed fruits that have been pre-softened with a small amount of water such as prunes, dates or raisins. These fruits provide for additional needed fiber and also give a moist texture.
There are many other options that can serve as replacement for sugar:
Agave is from the agave cactus plant family. When it comes to sweetness, it is more intense that white sugar. It may be suitable for use by diabetics.
Barley Malt Syrup is a result of roasted sprouted barley that has been reduced into syrup. It has a malt-like taste that blends well with sweet and sour sauces, barbecue and baked squash.
Brown Rice Syrup is a product of brown rice and a culture that have been cooked and then made into syrup. Compare to white sugar, it has only half the sweetness. Butterscotch reminisces of its mild flavor.
Date Sugar is a whole-food sweetener. It is made from dried and pulverized dates, although, several food processing companies add oat flour to smoothen and help it flow freely. For added softness, other companies use oil. Date sugar has high potassium, iron and vitamins; its high fiber content slows absorption.
Fruit Juice Concentrates are fresh fruit juices that have been cooked down to syrup; they are commonly frozen. Some people are not fond of the flavor while others are. In making grape juice concentrate, use only the organic ones since non-organic grapes might be full of extremely high amounts of pesticide residues.
Honey is the most common and known white sugar substitute. It comes from the plant nectar collected by honeybees; raw honey when unheated and unfiltered tends to be cloudy and it has a useful propolis and pollen.
Maple Syrup is made from the boiled sap of sugar maple trees. It is categorized into Grade A, where the syrup is light and comes from early sap runs; Grade B which comes from later runs and its syrup has a more intense flavor.
Molasses is the end result of refining sugar cane. Barbados molasses is extracted at the first press of sugar cane which has a sweet and light taste. Blackstrap molasses is a product of the final press with a little sweetness and is a rich source of calcium and iron.
Stevia is harvested from a perennial shrub bearing leaves; it has 30 times the sweet of that in white sugar. What is more beneficial is that it has no calories and is suitable for individuals with hypoglycemia, diabetes or has the fungal infection Candida.
Sugar Cane Juice may be bought in many unbleached forms. Extracting the juice is made by mechanically crushing the whole sugar cane.
Rapadura is a trade name for unrefined, organic crystals. Unlike other methods of processing sugar cane, the molasses is not separated from the sugar streams while being crushed.
Mucovado sugar is the residue after the molasses is drained off and evaporated. It is dark and moist in texture because of the impurities. Sucanat is further clarified, filtered, and granulated; some molasses can be added also.
Turbinado and white sugar are produced in the same way except for the last extraction of molasses. It has a golden color which is closer to refined sugar than the raw sugar.
Demerara sugar is Turbinado sugar but with bigger granules and has a more crunchy crystals.
Xylitol, at one time, was an end result of birch wood or pecan shells, but nowadays it is typically derived from corncobs. Xylitol and sugar cane have the same taste. It is low in calories and apparently will not cause tooth decay; it may be appropriate for diabetics.