Demerera sugar vs. brown sugar
Some recipes I have seen call for demerera sugar, rather than what I would normally use, which is brown sugar. Is there a noticeable difference in taste or outcome, or this likely to be somewhat of a marketing influence? Is it related to country of origin? How is demerera sugar different to other sugar forms?
Best Answer
Demerara sugar is a sugar made from reduced, crystallized cane juice. That is, it is a form of brown sugar with the molasses left in during the refining process.
Regular brown sugar is actually made from pure white sugar, with molasses added back in for flavor.
They will have similar performance and flavor profiles so you can substitute freely, although demerara sugar may have less of a pronounced molasses flavor. Your best substitute is light brown sugar.
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Quick Answer about "Demerera sugar vs. brown sugar"
Demerara sugar has an amber colour and a mellow flavour, just like some soft brown sugar varieties. However, the crucial difference is that demerara sugar has a coarse and crunchy texture and a relatively large crystal size, whereas soft brown sugar has a soft texture and fine caster-size crystal.Can you substitute demerara sugar for brown sugar?
Summary Raw sugars like demerara or turbinado can be substituted for brown sugar in equal proportions. Still, because raw sugar crystals are very coarse, they don't always mix into batters and doughs as uniformly as brown sugar would.Is demerara sugar better than brown sugar?
So in comparison, demerara is less processed than brown sugar. The method of making it's pretty minimal \u2014 but it is still processed. That means it's no longer a natural sugar, and isn't great for your health. Vitamins and minerals.Is demerara sugar the same as soft brown sugar?
Regular brown sugar is dark and moist and is used for tasks where you want more of a molasses kick. Demerara sugar is darker still, with large crystals that give it a crunchy texture.Why is brown sugar called demerara?
The name "Demerara" comes from a variant of the Arawak word "Immenary" or "Dumaruni" which means "river of the letter wood" (wood of Brosimum guianense tree). Demerara sugar is so named because originally it came from sugar cane fields in the colony of Demerara.What is Demerara Sugar? | Ask the Expert
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