There are many usages and health benefits of brown sugar. In this article, we will highlight different methods on how to soften brown sugar for numerous usages.
According to Wikipedia, brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a unique brown color due to molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses (natural brown sugar). It is produced by the addition of molasses to refined white sugar (commercial brown sugar). In terms of its nutritional value, 100grams of brown sugar could contain 378 Calories compared to white sugar that contains 387 Calories.
Top five benefits of brown sugars
- Brown sugars help to remove scars from the skin; it also helps in lightening the skin.
- Boiled water with slices of ginger and some brown sugar helps to treat constipation.
- It removes dirt from the skin; that’s why it’s found in most skincare products.
- Brown sugars ease menstrual cramps due to the presence of potassium found in molasses, which is mixed with the sugar.
- Scientists have proven that brown sugar can prevent hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
How to Soften Brown Sugar
We begin with why brown sugar gets hardened. Because brown sugar crystals are coated in molasses, the molasses’ moisture evaporates when exposed to air, thereby making the sugar crystals stick together.
Now you have known why your brown sugar gets hard, let’s see the methods we can use to soften hardened brown sugar.
- Terra Cotta Disk
- Dampened Towel
- Bread or Apple Slices
- Oven
- Microwave
1) Soften Brown Sugar With Terra Cotta Disk
Do you know that there are terra cotta disks created particularly for softening brown sugar? Now that you have learned, let’s get to know the procedures.
To soften a hard brown sugar, soak the terra cotta in water for approximately 30 minutes, try to dry the excess water thoroughly, and put it with your brown sugar in an airtight container. Next, the container should be left tightly sealed overnight and check for softness the following morning.
Leaving the disk in the container can help the brown sugar retain its moisture. For a better result, the soaking process should be repeated every month; by doing this, you are preventing the brown sugar from hardening.
Here is a cheap terra cotta disk you can buy from Amazon.
2) Soften Brown Sugar Using a Dampened towel
If the first method is tedious, you can use the second method. First, the brown sugar should be placed in a bowl, cover the bowl with a damped towel; this is done to protect the opening. Please note that the towel shouldn’t have any contact with the brown sugar.
Next, the covered bowl should be left overnight or probably until the sugar has softened. For those that store brown sugar in an airtight container, covering the top surface with aluminum foil and placing the damped towel will be a great idea.
3) Apple Slices Method
This method is very uncommon, but it’s something everyone can do by following the procedures. Get a sealable plastic bag and place the hardened sugar in the bag or container. Next, few apple slices or a slice of fresh soft bread should be placed in the same bag or container where the brown sugar is.
Ensure it’s covered tightly and left overnight. You can check the next morning if the sugar is soft; if this doesn’t work, repeat the process. This time it should be left only for a few hours.
4) How to Soften Brown Sugar In The Oven
Please note that this method is not a fast one; you might need to be patient. First, the hardened sugar should be wrapped with an aluminum foil or in a baking sheet(I recommend this, though); place the wrapped sugar in a 250°F oven. Next, check if the sugar gets soft every 5minutes; when it eventually gets soft, let the sugar cool before using it in your recipe.
5) How to Soften Brown Sugar With Microwave
From past experiences, this is one of the fastest ways to soften hardened brown sugar. This method is for those that want to get their brown sugar soft quickly. Follow the procedures below.
First, gets a microwave-safe bowl, place a damp paper towel on top of the bowl, place the bowl in the microwave, and heat for about 30 seconds at half power. Check for softness when it’s time.
For maximum results, continue heating in 15 seconds intervals until the sugar is acceptably soft. You might encounter lumps on the brown sugar; a fork can be used to break up the lumps easily.
Please note that you shouldn’t overdo it, so you won’t completely melt the sugar, and it’s advisable to use the sugar immediately before it gets cool.
Best Ways To Store Brown Sugar
We have looked at the health benefits of brown sugar and how to soften brown sugar. Now let’s talk about how to store brown sugar.
The joy of brown sugar is the softness, and keeping your sugar soft will retain its moisture. One of the common ways to store brown sugar is to keep it in an airtight container; it’s enough to prevent it from hardening.
One of the methods I listed above (terra cotta disk), if you use this method, you might need to repeat the process of dampening the terra cotta to keep the brown sugar soft. You may ask why: because air exposure has proven to be one of the causes of making brown sugar hard.
Another method of storing your brown sugar is placing it in a zip-top plastic bag. Make sure you squeeze the extra air. After that, place the bag on an airtight container.
Opinion: Certainly, brown sugar will definitely become hard when stored for an extended period, it’s advisable to use them regularly or store them in a freezer, remove them from the freezer three hours before you use them
Conclusion
No doubt, brown sugars have tons of health benefits, and we have seen that brown sugars can get soft by the methods listed above. If this article is beneficial to your, kindly share.
