Raw sugar in North America has been slighly refined to meet health standards.
Once sugar cane has been processed to remove the molasses and to refine the white sugar, there is a leftover substance called raw sugar. In North America, three main types of raw sugars are used: Demerara, Muscovado or Barbados, and Turbinado sugar. Because of health regulations, it is not possible to purchase 100 percent raw sugar. These types of sugars have been slightly refined to remove contaminants and make them safe for human consumption. They can be used in place of white and brown sugar in a variety of recipes.
Demerara Sugar
This type of raw sugar was named after its place of origin -- Demerara, Guyana. It is a pale, toffee-tasting sugar that comes in the form of large, golden crystals. Demerara sugar is known for its characteristic crunchy texture, which defines its uses. It is commonly used as an alternative to white sugar to sweeten coffee. Because of its crunchy texture, this raw sugar is perfect for use in recipes that could benefit from the added crunch. Examples include baked crumbles, cheesecake bases and flapjacks. Also, because of its large crystals, Demerara can be used to decorate baked goods such as cookies. Demerara sugar can also be purchased in a finer grain that can be used in cake recipes.
Muscovado Sugar (Barbados Sugar)
Muscovado, or Barbados, sugar is a popular choice in Great Britain and is commonly used as a healthier alternative to brown sugar. There are two types of Muscovado sugar: dark and light. The dark sugar has a strong flavor that tends to linger. It is best paired with recipes that have rich flavors to blend with the strong taste. Dark Muscovado sugar can be used in gingerbread recipes, as a coffee sweetener, or in chocolate cakes or fudge. Light Muscovado sugar has a finer, more subtle molasses flavor. The faint aroma of molasses makes this type of sugar a good substitute for virtually any recipe that calls for brown sugar.
Turbinado Sugar
This type of sugar is made from crushing sugar cane and extracting the juice by steam cleaning. It is very similar to Demerara sugar in that it is coarse grained and light colored. Because of Turbinado sugar's faint molasses flavor, it is used in recipes to add a bit more complex flavor than white sugar would allow. Turbinado sugar can be used as a replacement to most recipes that call for white, granulated sugar. Because of its off-white color, this sugar can also be used as a method of altering the color of a white dessert.
Tags: brown sugar, Demerara sugar, Muscovado sugar, recipes that, Turbinado sugar
