The dark side of anyone (or anything) is always intriguing. Brown sugar is no exception.
This sugar owes its dark color to the presence of molasses, which is added to help retain and absorb moisture in cakes, cookies and other baked goods.
Even though brown sugar and white sugar are equal in calories, brown sugar tastes less sweet. This is because molasses has a bitter taste that lessens the sweetness.
Be it sprinkled or caramelized, brown sugar adds texture to your recipe that makes it almost impossible to resist.
But every dark side has its downside, too. Turns out, the very molasses present in the sugar proves to be a problem when exposed to air. It slowly evaporates the moisture out of the sugar, causing it to harden. At times, the sugar can seem as hard as brown stones, impossible to sprinkle over anything.
If and when that time comes, here are five ways to soften brown sugar using instant and overnight methods.
Contents
Instant Methods
Method 1: Use a Microwave
Things you’ll need:
- Hardened brown sugar
- Paper towel
- Water
- Bowl
Step 1. Put the hardened brown sugar into a bowl
- Put the hardened sugar you need to soften into a bowl.
Step 2. Wet a paper towel
- Wet a sheet of paper towel with a few sprays of water. Use a spray bottle for this purpose, as wetting the paper towel directly under running water may make it too wet and cause it to tear apart. Only use a few sprays, just enough to wet but not tear the towel apart.
- Be sure that the entire area that will be covering the bowl is wet.
Step 3. Cover the bowl
- Place the wet paper towel over the top of the bowl, completely covering it.
Step 4. Microwave it for 15 seconds
- Put the bowl covered with the wet paper towel in the microwave.
- Heat it at a low temperature for about 15 seconds.
Step 5. Take it out and check the softness
- After 15 seconds, take the bowl out of the microwave and you should have softened brown sugar.
- If some of the sugar is still hard, you can put the bowl back in the microwave and heat it for 5 more seconds.
Step 6. Use and store
- The hardened sugar is soft now. Sprinkle it on the chocolate cake you just made, and enjoy the cake of your life.
- Store any remaining sugar in an airtight container to prevent it from hardening again.
Method 2: Use an Oven
Too afraid to use the paper towel in the microwave, but do not have time to use an overnight softening method? Then, the oven is your best bet for quickly softening the sugar.
Things you’ll need:
- Hardened brown sugar
- Baking tray
- Aluminum foil
Step 1. Prepare your baking tray
- Spread a sheet of aluminum foil over the baking tray.
Step 2. Drop the sugar onto the aluminum foil and fold it
- Drop the hardened sugar onto the baking tray covered with aluminum foil.
- Wrap the foil completely around the sugar. Do not leave any openings or you’ll be left with some caramelized brown sugar instead of soft granulated sugar.
Step 3. Put the tray in the oven and heat it for 10 minutes
- Preheat the oven at 250° F.
- Put the baking tray in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- Take the tray out and check the softness of the sugar. It should be done by now, but if you still see some hardened sugar, put the tray back in the oven and give it 5 more minutes.
Step 4. Store and use
Use the amount you need and store the rest in an airtight container for future use.
Overnight Methods
Method 1: Use Bread
Things you’ll need:
- Hardened brown sugar
- Bread – 1 slice
- Bowl
- Plastic wrap
Step 1. Drop the hardened brown sugar into a bowl
- Drop all the hardened brown sugar into a bowl.
Step 2. Put pieces of bread on top of the sugar
- Tear 1 slice of bread into pieces. Don’t make the pieces too small pieces, just 3 or 4 big pieces will do the job.
- Place the bread pieces on top of the sugar in the bowl.
Step 3. Cover the bowl and let it sit overnight
- Use the plastic wrap to completely cover the bowl. This will allow the molasses to absorb the moisture from the bread and help soften the brown sugar.
- Leave it overnight.
Step 4. Remove the plastic wrap and pieces of bread
- The next morning, remove the plastic wrap and discard the bread pieces.
Step 5. Store and use
- The bread has done its part and the sugar is soft again.
- Store it in an airtight container in a dark place to prevent it from hardening. Use it when needed.
Method 2: Use Apple Slices
Things you’ll need:
- Hardened brown sugar
- Apple – 2 or 3 slices
- Bowl
- Plastic wrap
Step 1. Put the brown sugar in a bowl and top it with apple slices
- Drop all the hardened brown sugar into a bowl.
- Put 2 or 3 apple slices on top of the sugar. You can enjoy eating the rest of the apple.
Step 2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap
- Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap. This will prevent air from getting in and let the molasses in the sugar absorb the moisture from the apple slices.
- Let the wrapped bowl of hardened brown sugar and apple slices sit overnight.
Step 3. Remove the plastic wrap and discard the apple slices
- The next morning, remove the plastic wrap and throw away the apple slices.
Step 4. Store and use
- Ready to be used, the sugar is soft and granulated again.
- Store it in an airtight container in a dark place for future use.
This method might also leave a little hint of apple smell in the brown sugar. So it’s either good or bad, depending on whether or not you like it.
Method 3: Use a Moist Paper Towel
Things you’ll need:
- Hardened brown sugar
- Paper towel
- Water
- Bowls
- Plastic wrap
Step 1. Soak a paper towel in water
- Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and dip it into the bowl of water. Let the paper towel soak up all the water it can.
- Remove it from the bowl and squeeze out excess water.
Step 2. Put the wet paper towel on top of the brown sugar
- Put the hardened brown sugar in a bowl.
- Unfold the wet paper towel and place it on top of the hardened sugar.
Step 3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap
- Completely cover and wrap the bowl with plastic wrap.
- Let it sit. The process is slow and might take a day or two for the hardened sugar to soak the moisture from the towel and become soft again.
Step 4. Remove the plastic wrap and paper towel
- Occasionally check the softness of the sugar by looking through the glass bowl.
- When it’s time, remove the plastic wrap and paper towel.
Step 5. Ready to be used
- Your sugar is now ready to be sprinkled upon your traditional after-dinner coffee. Enjoy.
- Store any remaining sugar in an airtight container for future use.
Tips
- Once you’ve softened the brown sugar, make sure that you store it in an airtight container so that it retains its moisture and doesn’t harden quickly again.
- Take proper precautions and make sure to wear gloves when using the microwave or oven.