Planning to put your oven mitts to good use this winter? Don't forget to stock up on basics! If you're thinking about using basic white sugar for your homemade bakes, keep in mind that a switch-up can offer you better flavours and a more consistent texture.
While white sugar is mainly needed for recipes that require rising, like meringues, pies, mousses and soufflés, other kinds of sugar are more versatile, be it for mixing or icing purposes. Sugar that has molasses, for instance, can offer more depth in flavour and robust caramel-like notes, which can work really well for chocolate or coffee-based desserts. Here are some of the most commonly used sugar varieties bakers swear by
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is less processed than white sugar and comes in two different varieties: light and dark. The more molasses the sugar has, the darker it is in hue. For moist recipes such as ganache cakes or creamy sponge cakes, it is best to use dark brown sugar since it can add moisture and make the cake more chewy. Dark brown sugar usually offers a robust taste and sometimes a better lift when you're baking. For coffee or caramel recipes try using light brown sugar so it doesn't;t come out overly bitter or dark. You can also mix some castor sugar with brown sugar to play up the textures when you're baking a cake
Coconut Palm Sugar
Coconut plan sugar is less sweet than cane sugar but still offers a molasses-like depth of flavour and is actually easy to adjust in ratio, which makes it a good option for new bakers. Though cane sugar is a better agent to sweeten batters and doughs, coconut palm sugar has a richer sweetness that's subtle but also quite complex. It's the closest substitute to brown sugar and the best part is it can be used in a 1:1 substitute for white or brown sugar
Confectioner's Sugar
Also known as powdered sugar or icing sugar, this contains cornstarch to prevent the sugar from clumping. Since this sugar is not granulated, it's much easier to use them in frosting and fillings especially if you are sure about the ratio. When adding powdered sugar to water or any liquid, it is best to start with a small amount since it dissolves quite quickly
Demerara Sugar
Although some people confuse demerara with brown sugar, the former is different and more versatile. It is basically raw sugar extracted from sugar cane and is more prominent in taste. Demerara sugar has a coarse texture and a large crystal size so it can be used to play up the textures in a cake or a pie. Besides topping or decoration, demerara can also be used in rich, complex recipes that need robust flavour notes
Caster Sugar
Caster sugar is an ultra-fine sugar and has two varieties, white and golden. White caster sugar has had molasses extracted and can offer a crispy texture whereas golden caster sugar contains molasses and can deliver a more potent sweetness. Caster sugar is the best mixing agent in baking especially for fluffy desserts like souffles and meringues and can also replace granulated sugar in most recipes