Muscovado brown sugar

Description

Muscovado brown sugar is an unrefined, moist sugar with a deep, dark brown color and an intense molasses aroma. The flavor is rich, caramel-sour with notes of toffee and a slight bitterness, and the texture is soft and sticky, which adds depth to baked goods and sauces. Nutritionally, muscovado mainly consists of sucrose and provides calories similar to white sugar, but retains small amounts of minerals (iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium) and compounds from molasses that have slight antioxidant properties. The health benefit is therefore moderate — it offers better flavor and a bit of trace nutrients, but is not a "healthy" product. It pairs wonderfully with gingerbread cakes, cookies, brownies, BBQ sauces, glazes, coffee, and cocktails, where its intense flavor replaces some other sweeteners. It should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place; to prevent hardening, a slice of bread or a bit of molasses can be added, and hardened sugar can be refreshed with a brief heating/steaming softening.