Keep reading if you are looking for a muscovado sugar substitute. This article will answer questions like: What is muscovado sugar? How to use it, and what you can use as a substitute.
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What is Muscovado Sugar?
Muscovado sugar is also known as Barbados sugar, khandsari, or Khand. It is a partially refined sugar that does not go through the entire stage of extracting liquid from the sugar cane, making it a moist sugar.
Muscovado comes in two varieties light and dark.
Light muscovado sugar
Light muscovado sugar has some molasses removed, giving it a light golden brown color. It is lighter in flavor compared to dark muscovado.
Dark muscovado sugar
Dark muscovado is more common and has the highest amount of molasses in it, and because of this, it has a deep dark brown color and is very moist.
Where to Buy Muscovado Sugar
You should be able to buy muscovado sugar at most grocery stores, but if you can't get it you can always buy it online.
Muscovado Sugar Substitute Ideas
Dark brown sugar is a good muscovado sugar substitute, and this is because it looks and tastes very similar to muscovado if you don't have dark brown sugar, you can use light brown sugar instead.
If you can't get dark brown sugar, you can make brown sugar by mixing white sugar and molasses.
Light brown sugar is a good substitute if a recipe calls for light brown muscovado sugar.
Use jaggery (palm sugar) - this is sugar made from the sap of palms. It's not as moist or as sweet as muscovado, so you might like to use more palm sugar or add some white sugar to get the right level of sweetness, and it does not have a strong molasses flavor.
Demerara sugar, turbinado sugar, and white granulated cane sugar are not suitable muscovado sugar substitutes because they are not moist and don't have a molasses flavor.
If using a muscovado sugar substitute, use the same amount as stated in the recipe you are using.
Muscovado Sugar Benefits
Muscovado sugar is less refined than white sugar and contains more molasses than other sugars. And according to Medical News Today, molasses has traces of manganese, magnesium, copper, vitamin B-6, selenium, potassium, iron, and calcium.
But muscovado is sugar and should not be consumed in excess because it can cause health problems like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
How to Use it
- Use it to make baked goods like cakes, cookies, brownies, toffee, or caramel.
- As and in ingredients to make salad dressings, sauces like barbecue sauce, marinades, or meat glazes.
- Use it to sweeten things like; ice cream, oatmeal, popcorn, tea, and coffee.
- Use it to make muscovado syrup and use it as a drizzling sauce for pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.
Muscovado sugar will add moisture to baked goods and can make dishes appear darker because of its dark brown color.
How To Store It
Store muscovado sugar in an air-tight container rather than in the bag you purchased it in.
Store away from strong odors because sugar can pick up strong smells, especially when stored in plastic or paper.
Muscovado is a moist sugar, and if stored in a warm area for a long time can dry out and become hard.
To stop it from drying out store the sugar in a cool, dry, and dark area like a pantry cupboard.
How To Soften Hardened Muscovado
If you have muscovado that has become hard, you can soften it by placing a damp (not dripping wet) paper towel over it, sealing the jar, and leaving it overnight.
The sugar will absorb the moisture from the damp paper towel, making it soft again.
FAQ
No you can't substitute muscovado for demerara sugar, because muscovado is a moist sugar and demerara is not.
You are better off using turbinado sugar because it has a similar texture to demerara sugar or use white sugar.
Yes, you can because brown sugar is almost the same as brown sugar.
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