On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1277

andbakedbeansareexamples.Canemolasses
is usually but unpredictably acidic; its pH
varies between 5 and neutral 7, so it can
sometimes react with baking soda and
produce leavening carbon dioxide in baked
goods. Thanks to its invert sugars, it helps
retain moisture in foods. And a variety of
components contribute to a general
antioxidant capacity, which helps slow the
developmentofoff-flavors.
Cane and Sorghum Syrups Cane syrups may
beproduceddirectlyfromcanejuiceatsugar
factories, or from raw sugar at refineries.
They generally contain a combination of
sucrose (25–30%) and invert sugars (50%),
are golden to medium brown in color, and
haveamildflavorwithcaramel,butterscotch,
andleafyaromas.Louisianacanesyrupswere
traditionally made from whole cane juice,
concentrated and clarified. The same basic
product, with about half of its sucrose


inverted by acid or enzymes, is now
sometimescalled“high-testmolasses.”Ithas
beenheatedless,andsohasamorearomatic,
lessbitterflavorthantruemolasses.“Golden
syrup” is a refinery syrup made from raw
sugar, filtered through charcoal to give it a
characteristic light, crystal-clear appearance
and delicate flavor. Cane syrups offer more

character (though also a more intense
sweetness) than corn syrup in such dishes as
pecanpie.
Sorghumsyrupismadeinsmallquantities
intheAmericanSouthandMidwestfromthe
stalkjuiceofsweetsorghum,specialized
varietiesofacerealplantnormallygrownfor
itsgrain(Sorghumbicolor,p.482).Sorghum
syrupismainlysucrose,andhasadistinctive
pungency.
FruitSyrups:AncientSaba,Modern
FruitSweeteners
In Europe, the original sweet syrups were