CATEGORY

Brown Sugar

2005 CHEFSBEST® AWARD FOR BEST TASTE WINNER

C & H Pure Cane Sugar

What Makes a Great Brown Sugar?

Brown sugar, essentially white sugar mixed with molasses, adds soft texture and deep flavor to a wide range of recipes: cookies, coffee cakes, pudding, dressings, barbecue sauces and marinades. Along with salt, pepper, white sugar and flour, it’s a must-have cooking ingredient. Plus, it’s the perfect complement to a bowl of bland oatmeal.

Our chefs define a high-quality brown sugar as being brown in color—light or dark depending on the manufacturer’s stylistic preference. In light brown sugar, the molasses notes will be light, while the dark brown variety should have deeper molasses notes.

In the taste profile for both brown sugars, the sweetness of the sugar should come through, balancing and reducing the bitterness of the molasses. These tastes, at the right levels, will create the appropriate taste balance.

The molasses flavor should be a complex mix of caramel, butter, smoky and maple notes. Both the intensity and character of the molasses also should be detectable in the aroma. Opening a bag of brown sugar, the complex aroma should quickly rise to the nose.

The sugar itself should not be dry and lumpy, nor should it be wet enough to leave moisture on the fingers. It should be soft enough to pack into a measuring cup or pour into a mixing bowl. The sugar should have a large grain size, but it should not be sandy. It should melt quickly both on the palate and when it is used in baking, cooking and as a seasoning.

Product Category Definition

The product judged was defined as light and dark brown sugar for the consumer market, not including white granular sugar or evaporated cane juice.

Other Leading Brands:

Domino Sugar