Learn the critical reason why you must always pack your brown sugar. Find out the major difference it makes to your recipe if you don't.
1 Answer
Brown sugar is measured packed because its molasses content makes it compressible, and packing ensures consistent density for accurate recipe results. Unpacked brown sugar will result in less sugar by weight compared to packed, leading to potentially drier or less sweet baked goods.
Detailed Explanation:
Brown sugar is essentially granulated white sugar with molasses added back in. The molasses gives brown sugar its characteristic color, flavor, and, importantly, its moisture content. This moisture makes brown sugar compressible, meaning you can press it into a measuring cup and it will hold its shape.
When a recipe calls for 'packed' brown sugar, it's specifying a particular density. Packing the sugar eliminates air pockets and ensures you're using the intended amount of sugar by volume. To properly pack brown sugar, spoon it into a dry measuring cup, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon or your fingers until it's level with the top of the cup. When you invert the cup onto a flat surface, the brown sugar should hold the shape of the cup.
If you were to measure brown sugar loosely, without packing, you would have significantly more air between the sugar granules. This means you would have less sugar by weight in the same volume. The difference can be substantial, potentially leading to a noticeable change in the final product, especially in baking. For example, cookies might be drier, cakes might not rise as well, or the overall sweetness might be off.
Pro Tip:
If your brown sugar has hardened, you can soften it by placing a slice of apple or a damp paper towel in the container with the sugar for a few hours. Alternatively, microwave it in short bursts (15-20 seconds) with a damp paper towel on top, checking frequently to avoid melting the sugar.