SUGAR USES INSIDE THE KITCHEN

Sugar Boiling Temperatures

Busy Baker? Remember these tips...

Many recipes recommend preheating the oven. It is important not to skip this step! Baked items depend on the correct oven temperature to help them rise and cook properly. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes and can be done while preparing the recipe. Place the oven racks at the proper level first, then set to the recommended temperature.

Do the edges sometimes get hard when baking brownies? Try these steps to prevent this from happening:

Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven temperature is accurate. Then test for doneness toward the end of the baking time. If the brownie springs back when lightly touched in the center and the sides have started to pull away from the pan, it is done. If your brownie recipe has a cake texture (rather than a dense, fudgy consistency), it's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Avoid dark-colored baking pans, which can cause the edges to brown too fast.

Try lowering your baking temperature by 25 degrees.

For perfect muffins and quick breads, be careful not to over mix the ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and stir only until moistened - don't worry about small lumps. Either use paper muffin cup liners or grease muffin tins on the bottoms and only halfway up the sides of each cup. (The ungreased portion of the cup will allow the batter to climb up the sides for a higher muffin.) Fill the muffin cups about two-thirds full unless otherwise directed in the recipe.

Sugar acts as a tenderizing agent which helps gluten maintain its elasticity, giving the final product tender crumb texture and good volume.

Sugar helps bread rise by acting as a food source for yeast.

Sugar helps promote lightness when creamed with shortening or butter.

Sugar serves as a whipping aid to stabilize beaten egg foams.

Sugar caramelizes when heated above its melting point adding flavor and leading to surface browning which improves moisture retention in baked products.

Sugar reacts with proteins in a baked product to produce the browned surface.

Sugar helps produce the desired surface cracking of some cookies.

Sugar stabilizes foams such as meringues and helps increase volume. It also adds to the caramelizing of the meringue when baked.

General Cooking

Sugar delays coagulation of egg proteins in custards, preventing "weeping".

Sugar helps prevent "lumps" in puddings, sauces and pie fillings.

Sugar is used as a flavoring ingredient in a wide range of foods such as baked beans, cooked vegetables, tomato sauces, salad dressings and coleslaw.

Sugar is used in many condiments to soften acidity and blend flavors.

Sugar contributes to the consistency of many condiments and how they feel in your mouth.

Jellies & Preserves

Sugar is essential in the gelling process to obtain desired consistency and firmness.

Sugar prevents spoilage of jams, jellies and preserves after they are opened.

Sugar helps retain the color of the fruit.

Canning & Freezing

For canning, sugar helping the fruit to retain color and plumpness.

Sugar helps protect the surfaces of frozen fruit and prevents browning.

Sugar in frozen fruits also helps retard loss of flavor, enhances fruit aroma and size when thawed.