Sugar’s Uses in Cooking and Baking

Common white table sugar is the disaccharide sucrose, a 99%+ pure carbohydrate. The “di” in disaccharide refers to the sucrose molecule’s two components fructose (the sweetest of all sugars) and dextrose (glucose) which are joined by a chemical bond. Inversion occurs when acids and cooking break this bond. Human saliva and gastric juices contain the enzyme invertase, which also splits indigestible sucrose into fructose and glucose, which the body burns for energy. Inverted (invert) sugar is a bit sweeter than sucrose and widely used in food preparation.

Food processors, chefs, bakers and cooks use sugar to:

• Enhance and Smooth Flavors— Sugar blends, enhances and balances flavors like a seasoning. Add a pinch of sugar to corn, carrots and peas to improve taste. Reduce the acidic bite of tomato-based barbecue, spaghetti, and chili sauces with a touch of sugar. Even savory sauces, soups and gravies can benefit from a little white or brown sugar.

• Modify Texture—Sugar is creamed with shortening in baked goods for a good reason. Irregular sugar crystals create thousands of tiny air pockets that produce a delicate and satisfying crumb structure and expanded volume.

In shortening-based cakes, sugar delays and controls the temperature at which the batter goes from fluid to solid, allowing the leavening agent (e.g., baking powder) to produce the maximum amount of carbon dioxide. The gas is held inside the air cells of the structure, resulting in a fine, uniformly-grained cake with a soft, smooth crumb texture.

In foam-type cakes, such as angel and sponge, sugar acts as a whipping aid, helping produce a light foam that serves as the basic structure of the cake.

Experiment with coarse granulated (CG), fine granulated (FG) and extra-fine granulated (EFG) sugars. Baker’s Special (a.k.a. Superfine) is an extremely fine-grained sugar favored for its ability to develop a high-volume cake with uniform “cell” structure.

• Impart Color—Heating sugar causes it to decompose or "caramelize." The color changes to yellow, then to brown, and it develops a unique and appealing flavor and aroma. The brown color of toasted bread is the result of caramelization. Melting sugar in a saucepan creates caramel.

Color is also produced in cooking when sugars and proteins interact in complex ways. This is known as the browning (Maillard) reaction, useful in candy making and baking.

• Preserve— As a rule, moist foods spoil faster than dry ones. Sugar is nature’s preservative, because it readily binds “loose” water. High sugar levels in icings, jams, jellies, syrups and sauces make them much more immune to developing yeasts and molds compared to thinner, watery items like applesauce or pancake batter. Sugar is so effective at tying up moisture in foods that objectionable microorganisms never get a foothold in thick sugary syrups and spreads, even when they’re not refrigerated. Of course candy, which almost all sugar, rarely spoils.

Sometimes, moisture is desirable. When a recipe’s heat, acid or enzyme "inverts” sucrose, the resulting fructose (especially) and dextrose act as humectants in icings, fudge, cakes, marshmallows and soft cookies.

• Disperse—Sugar can help prevent lumping and clumping. Instead of individually adding dry ingredients like spices, starch and baking powder to a batter or liquid, first mix them with sugar. When the dry blend is hydrated (mixed into water), it will dissolve more readily.

• Microwave— Sugar’s unique dielectric properties enable it to produce desired surface browning and crisping. Sugar in a microwave recipe can minimize uneven heating.

• Dissolve — Sugar is extremely soluble: just a pint of hot water can dissolve five pounds to produce a supersaturated solution. This unique property enables confectioners to almost magically create wonderful syrups and creamy fondants and fudge.

Sugar

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