Cookbook:Maple Syrup and Sugar
| Maple Syrup and Sugar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Sweeteners |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients | Basic foodstuffs | Sweeteners
Maple syrup and sugar are sweet products made from the sap of maple (especially sugar maple) trees.[1][2][3][4][5] They originate from the Canadian southeast and United States northeast,[1][6][7] where these maples grow and where the seasonal conditions are appropriate.[8]
Production
[edit | edit source]In the late winter and early spring, the sap of maple trees begins to "run" or flow within the trees.[6][9] During this time, sufficiently large trees are "tapped" by drilling holes in the trunk and inserting spigots to collect the sap.[1][6][10] As it comes from the tree, the sap is mostly water containing only about 2–3% sugar,[1][5][7] though the exact sugar content varies from tree to tree and year to year.[11] As such, the sap must be concentrated to be shelf stable and useful as a sweetener.[8][9]
The most common way to concentrate the sap is by boiling to evaporate the bulk of the water.[2][5][7] The simplest way to do this is in a large pot or kettle,[6] but wide pans have more surface area and therefore encourage greater evaporation. More dedicated producers use specialized evaporator setups, which can include channels, valves, temperature probes, and more to increase efficiency and standardization. It is particularly important to prevent burning of the syrup as it boils. As the sap boils, it may get foamy, which can be resolved by adding a small drop of oil.[11] The syrup is typically ready when it reaches 66–67% sugar content,[1][5] which occurs at about 7°F (4°C) above the boiling point of water.[9][11][12] At this sugar concentration, the syrup is sufficiently concentrated but will not crystallize.[5][11] Once the syrup is finished, it is filtered and packaged.
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]Finished maple syrup has a solids content of about 68%, consisting primarily of sucrose (~62%), with traces of glucose and fructose (~3%) as well as amino and other acids.[1][7][8][12] The flavor is complex,[1] due in part to Maillard browning and specific flavor compounds such as vanillin,[5][7][12] and the color is golden amber to brown.[2] However, different grades of maple syrup do exist as determined by the syrup's color and flavor.[1][2][3][7] As the color darkens, the flavor becomes stronger;[4] at the lightest end of the scale in both color and flavor is "golden with delicate taste", followed by "amber with rich taste", "dark with robust taste", and "very dark with strong taste".[1][3][11] The grade is associated with the point in the season at which the sap is collected, so lighter syrups are produced earlier, and they trend darker from there.[7][11] Harold McGee also notes that longer and hotter boiling leads to darker color and stronger flavor, and late-season sap tends to need longer boiling due to a lower initial sugar content.[12] Other factors that influence maple syrup flavor include climate and soil type.[5]
Varieties and products
[edit | edit source]While maple syrup is the starting point, it is not the only maple product used in cooking. To make maple sugar, the syrup is simply concentrated even further (25–40°F / 14–25°C above boiling water),[5][12] which causes the sugar to crystallize out upon cooling.[8][12] Maple cream (sometimes called maple butter) is also produced by inducing crystallization of the syrup. It is made by heating the syrup to about 235°F (113°C) before cooling it rapidly and stirring to induce the formation of tiny crystals[1][4][12]—this results in a smooth, spreadable paste.[6]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]Maple syrup and cream are fairly shelf-stable at room temperature. However, osmotolerant molds can eventually grow on them after opening, so storing in the fridge will extend the shelf life. Maple sugar is very stable at room temperature when kept in a sealed container away from moisture.
Use
[edit | edit source]Maple syrup and its derived products are mainly consumed in Canada and the United States, where they feature in a range of sweet products. Maple syrup—especially of lighter grades—is commonly served with breakfast items like pancakes,[3][6][8][9][12] and darker syrups are used in cooking for their strong flavor.[7][8][12] The syrup can also be turned into confections, incorporated into custards, and more.[1][3][6] Note that because of its low invert sugar content, maple syrup will not contribute much additional moistness beyond the water content—in this way, it is like using table sugar with additional water.[7]
Substitution
[edit | edit source]Because the primary appeal of maple syrup is its flavor, there are no true substitutes[4]. Imitation maple syrups or pancake syrups are made from glucose/corn syrup containing added color and either some real maple flavoring or maple-adjacent flavoring from fenugreek;[2][3][4][7] however, these are not good substitutes.[6]
Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Goldstein, Darra (2015-01-01). The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780199313396.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-931339-6.
- ↑ a b c d e Labensky, Sarah; Martel, Priscilla; Damme, Eddy Van (2015-01-06). On Baking: A Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals, Updated Edition. Pearson Education. ISBN 978-0-13-388675-7.
- ↑ a b c d e f Research Chefs Association (2016-02-29). Culinology: The Intersection of Culinary Art and Food Science. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-48134-9.
- ↑ a b c d e Rinsky, Glenn; Rinsky, Laura Halpin (2008-02-28). The Pastry Chef's Companion: A Comprehensive Resource Guide for the Baking and Pastry Professional. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-00955-0.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Greweling, Peter P.; America (CIA), The Culinary Institute of (2012-11-06). Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42441-4.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Friberg, Bo (2016-09-13). The Professional Pastry Chef: Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-46629-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Figoni, Paula (2010-11-09). How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-39267-6.
- ↑ a b c d e f Amendola, Joseph; Rees, Nicole (2003-01-03). Understanding Baking: The Art and Science of Baking. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-44418-3.
- ↑ a b c d The Chefs of Le Cordon Bleu (2011-12-02). Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie and Baking Foundations. Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-1-4390-5713-1.
- ↑ Lyle, Katie Letcher (2016-09-15). The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts: Finding, Identifying, and Cooking. Falcon Guides. ISBN 978-1-4930-1864-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f Chesman, Andrea (2015-09-19). The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How: Field-to-Table Cooking Skills. Storey Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-61212-205-2.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i McGee, Harold (2007-03-20). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4165-5637-4.