Maple sugar is a good alternative to ordinary granulated sugar. It is made from maple sap and its distinctive maple flavor can be extremely tasted. It is quite mushy in appearance and looks a little bit like brown sugar. Because of this, it is commonly molded in blocks. In early times, Native Americans used this as their primary sweetener because it is easy to transport. Nowadays, organic maple syrup is used to flavor a lot of food, ranging from savory meals up to sweet desserts. Some factories also use this on the production of some food products flavored with maple as the maple sugar is usually two times sweeter than cane sugar.
The principle in making maple sugar is simple but requires great skill. The sap collected from maple trees is boiled over low heat in order to remove its water content through evaporation. It takes a very long time and it should be watched carefully. Make sure that it is in low heat otherwise it would be burned. Stirring of the mixture begins when the maple sap has been reduced into half. Continuous stirring will make the reduced mixture granulated, thus forming up sugar little by little. It is very hard to determine if the sugar is burned because of its dark brown color. This is the reason why making it takes a well-experienced skill; this makes the maple butter very special.
Maple sugar can be used in a lot of recipes. It is a good substitute for ordinary cane sugar because of its rich flavor. It is also used in marinating sauces as its flavor will definitely sip into the meat. Maple sugar also adds richer taste in various dishes. Most of all, it is perfect for desserts as its flavor blends well in sweet confections. Be creative in making maple sugar perfectly fit in your meals, benefit from its nutrients and unique flavor!
