I don't use white sugar much at home these days. Now I reach for a more unrefined cane sugar like turbinado, or experiment with maple syrup or honey as sweeteners. But the problem with this, for bakers in particular, is that you have to be careful about adding extra liquid to a recipe because it changes the entire composition and structure. So what's a good solution if you want to add a deep, dark sweetener like maple syrup? Pick up a bag of maple sugar!
If you have yet to come across maple sugar at the store, it's made by evaporating the liquid (water) out of maple syrup. It has much larger granules than, say, white sugar and a really distinct maple flavor that is so wonderful in a variety of baked goods, especially this time of year. I've used it in muffins, scones and waffles with great success.
As Emma explained in a post introducing maple sugar a few years ago, you shouldn't substitute maple sugar for white sugar completely in a recipe. The flavor will be pretty strong (and it would be an expensive decision since maple sugar is on the pricey side!). Instead, start by subbing 1/3 to 1/2 of the white sugar for maple sugar and see how you like the flavor. Take it from there the next time you bake up your favorite recipe.
Read Emma's Piece: Good Product: Maple SugarMore on Natural Sugars: A Few Favorite Sweeteners by 101 Cookbooks
More On Getting Away From White Sugars: Sweeter Still by Sarah Britton for Bon Appetit
Other Great Uses:
1. Coffee and Tea: Using maple sugar in coffee or tea is a great way to impart a subtle maple flavor into your morning joe.
2. Your Morning Oats: There are days when I feel like maple sugar came about solely to join winter morning oats. Sprinkle a spoonful on top of your favorite oatmeal in the morning for a really warm maple sweetness that beats white sugar in complexity any day.
3. Pancakes and Waffles: I've done a few things here. I'll use maple sugar in the batter itself, but more often than not, I sprinkle it on top as more of a garnish. If the pancakes or waffles are hot off the griddle, the maple sugar will melt a bit and, if you use a little butter, it becomes a very merry maple/butter marriage.
4. Granola: I don't use added sugar when I make granola, but I do use maple syrup, and I'm eager to try cutting back a little on the syrup and trying maple sugar as an ingredient. Has anyone had any luck with this?
5. Warm Grain Bowls: If you do warm bowls of quinoa, millet, or couscous in the morning, maple sugar is a dream sprinkled on top. I'll often roast a few apples or chop a couple of ripe pears and in no time, a dreamy breakfast is made.
6. Yogurt: Maple sugar in yogurt is my new favorite snack. With very little of the sugar, you'll have a lovely, complex maple flavor.
How have you used maple sugar in the kitchen?
Related: Maple Cupcakes from Baked Explorations
(Image: Megan Gordon)
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I'm so glad I read this post! I bought a solid block of maple sugar - you have to grate it. I found it in a tiny shop in Harper's Ferry, WV. I was so excited to have it...but didn't know what to do with it. Muffins seem like a pretty good idea to me!
Maria Tadic
http://beanafoodie.com/blog
Candy bacon! Bacon strips on a rack over a sheetpan, coat generously with maple sugar, in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Flip, coat other side. Back in the oven for about 7 minutes or until desired doneness.
I used Maple Sugar in my Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie and baked oatmeal.
Looking forward to trying it in my morning coffee.
It's so hard to get (either really expensive, or just very small quantities home-produced!), I only use it on contexts where I can use small amounts and the flavor doesn't disappear - e.g. tea but not coffee, yogurt but not oatmeal, never as a baking ingredient.
I used some last week on popcorn. Depending on the granule size, you might want to blend it up a bit so that it sticks to the popcorn better.
oh, this makes me really miss our market stand that sold maple sugar! The old man retired, and I'd have to look around to figure out where to get it now. He mostly sold it pressed into little maple leaves as "candy."
I bought a rub mixture that uses maple sugar as an ingredient. I use on salmon when I broil or sear it. It is basically a breakfast sausage spice mixture with maple sugar added.
http://www.urbanaccents.com/Dryglaze-vermont-grill-dryglaze-p/4131.htm
I like it so much that I plan to try to replicate it when I use up what I bought.
We've used maple sugar in apple pie and apple crisp.
When I want to use maple as a sweetener in something, I just swap in maple syrup for the sugar amount called for and lessen one of the liquids in the recipe by the amount of maple syrup I used (acknowledging the sweetness and liquidity of the syrup). Then there's no need to buy one more (expensive!) form of sugar.
I make a rub using maple sugar, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, dried chives. It's great on salmon and pork chops. I've also used it as a popcorn topping (with salt and butter). So tasty!
Great ideas! I just saw this for the first time at Costco today but wasn't sure about buying it. Looks like I have to take a trip back there!
Sprinkle on vanilla ice cream!
I've never used maple sugar before, but I can only imagine the array of possibilities for it in my kitchen!
Megan, I love maple sugar! It's my secret ingredient in my holiday sweet potato casserole recipe. Soooooo delicious!