Special Cooking Tips When Using Maple Sugar or Maple Syrup

MAPLE SYRUP is a unique cooking ingredient, offering all natural sweetness and rich flavor to a variety of family recipes. Experiment with replacing the present sweetener in some of your recipes with maple syrup products, and try these favorite maple hints and tips when cooking with maple syrup.

GRANULATED MAPLE SYRUP When substituting granulated sugar for granulated white sugar in your recipe, the conversion rate is to use 1/2 cup Maple sugar for each 1 cup of granulated white sugar.

TO SUBSTITUTE For sugar in cooking, generally use only 1/4 cup Maple syrup to each cup of sugar. To substitute maple syrup for granulated sugar in baking, use the same proportions, but reduce the other liquid called for in the recipe by about 3 tablespoons for every cup of syrup substituted. MAPLE FACT: One pint of maple syrup has the same sweetening power as one pound of maple sugar.

MEASURING Maple syrup tends to hug the sides of the measuring cup or spoon, so first grease the container lightly then scrape out all the syrup. This is Liquid Gold..!!!!

METHOD OF MIXING Combine syrup with liquid in recipe or melt shortening then mix thoroughly with liquid shortening.

GRADES Grade B maple syrup has a stronger flavor and will yield more maple flavor in a flour batter. In an icing or other cooking where delicate flavors are required, use Grade A Light, Medium or Dark Amber.

WANT TO EXPERIMENT?  Start by using the lesser amount and remember to write down in your cookbook, the amounts and your results. If the results are not what you want or are looking for, don't quit. Try the recipe again and increase maple syrup if a sweeter product is wanted. If it is dry, don't decrease liquid as much. If texture is too course, you probably need to mix maple syrup and liquid shortening more thoroughly. If it has a burned outer edge, lower oven temperature slightly more.

OVEN TEMPERATURE Your oven temperature may be slightly off based on the cooking results above. Purchase an oven thermometer from your hardware store. This will verify your oven settings, instead of guessing. This will give you better quality results when cooking family or holiday recipes.

KITCHEN HINT When experimenting with your own recipes using Maple syrup as a substitute for granulated sugar, it is a good idea to record the amounts of Maple syrup used, the amount that the liquid was decreased by, and the temperature of the oven. Write it down, before you forget. This will allow you to make adjustments in the amount necessary, if needed, for future meals with those recipes.