This vs That (part two)
Welcome back, bees!
In Part One, we chatted about baking soda vs baking power, salted vs unsalted butter, and dark vs light brown sugar. And MAN was that A LOT… oof.
BUT there is so so much more I want to get to, so forget my ranting and lets get to it!
SUGAR VS CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR VS SANDING SUGAR VS COARSE SUGAR
Sugar is one of the most important parts of baking. Sugar adds sweetness to your cakes and cookies, and gives flour the rise.
Sugar comes in all different forms. Your mind, probably, immediately goes to white granulated sugar. You know, the sugar you put in your coffee every morning. BUT the more you bake, the more you find there are a TON of other types.
Let’s start with good ole fashion granulated sugar. In Part One, we talk about how sugar is made. Basically, the natural molasses that is formed is refined out. This is the most common form of sugar used in baking.
Confectioner’s sugar, also known as powdered sugar, is refined sugar into a powdery substance. This type of sugar is easily liquefied, so it is used for icings and frostings. So, where’s the name come from? A “confectioner” is someone who makes candies and other sweets.
Typically when a recipe calls for table sugar over powdered sugar, there is a reason. Examples: when making icing you want a nice smooth consistency, so you use powdered sugar; to dust desserts, powdered sugar and granular sugar give different effects; for recipes, like in cakes and cookies, granular sugar is used to create a denser consistency and in breads the larger crystals of granular sugar adds more air.
If you do choose to substitute, focusing on the weight is important. the volume of one cup of powdered sugar does not equal one cup of granulated sugar. You have to weigh how much a cup of powdered sugar is and measure the same amount of granulated sugar.
Sanding sugar is a large-crystal sugar. It is used as decorating sugar and can come in many different colors. It reflects light and makes your baked goods all sparkly and pretty, and WHO doesn’t want that?! So, how is it made then? You just dry out sugar syrup and there ya go, then screening and coloring the granules that are left behind. When to use it: before or after baking to add sparkle and texture!
Last but not least, course sugar! This sugar has the largest of crystals. This sugar is stronger and more resistant to heat. It will give your baked goods a little bit of texture.
So, there ya have it, most of the different types of sugar you’ll come across. Now stock up and get bakin’!
DUTCH PROCESSED COCOA VS NATURAL COCOA POWDER
Don’t tell me, there’s different types of COCOA too?!
Yes, there is a difference. And what’s that difference you ask? Well, it’s acid. Again.
Cocoa powder is the dry solid remains of fermented, dried, and roasted cocoa beans. The beans are cracked and mashed into a paste of near flavorless cocoa butter. Once the butter is extracted, small crumbly bits are left over and those are ground into a fine powder.
Natural Cocoa Powder is just that. Nothing else is done to it. So, bringing back the acid. Natural cocoa powder has a pH between 5 and 6. This has a distinct sharp flavor found in your typical chocolate bar. When baking, grab that baking soda. The metallic flavor released by baking soda is mellowed by the acid in the natural cocoa powder.
Dutch-process Cocoa is washed in an potassium carbonate bath to neutralize the acidity to pH 7. This also changes the appearance to a deeper chocolaty color. Pair this cocoa with baking powder because, as mentioned in This vs That it will handle the acid component for the leavening process. There is also Dutched black cocoa powder, that create a bittersweet cocoa like in Oreo cookies.
But, WAIT, what if a recipe only calls for ‘cocoa powder’???
Check out the recipe and see how much baking powder and baking soda it calls for. In my experience, American recipes typically are referring to natural cocoa powder.
Interchangeable? Nah, I wouldn’t fuss with a recipe. As we’ve talked about before, keeping a recipe as written is the safest way to go. With that said, I hope this Science of Baking series is giving you a little more confidence into understanding and reading recipes!
That’s all for now, bees! Happy baking!
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