Food Fundamentals - Natural Sweeteners - Blackstrap Molasses

My sister gave me this amazing book last year, it's called On Food and Cooking, The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee. It's food and cooking for geeks, really. It's one of the most fascinating books I own - I pick it up, open it to a random page and read interesting and sometimes arcane facts about food. At any rate, if you're a food lover, you might find this book interesting and since the holidays are quickly approaching, it might make a superlative, affordable gift for the foodie in your life (and you know who they are...you're most likely having Thanksgiving dinner with them or they're the ones who bring the absolutely best pies, cakes, cookies, entrees, or desserts - you get the idea).

At any rate, I use this book as a reference all the time and I thought today's post on molasses might be a good use of some of Mr. McGee's knowledge...

Cane sugar is made from crushing the whole stem of the cane plant, which includes substances such as proteins, complex carbohydrates, tannins and pigments. These days, most sugar cane is processed using two distinct phases. Since harvested sugar cane is highly perishable, the first phase of crystallizing the raw, unrefined sugar is done very close to the plantations where the cane is grown. The second phase occurs elsewhere and the crystallized sugar is refined.

Molasses is the syrup left over in cane sugar processing. The "first" molasses is the product of the first step in cane sugar processing and is the lightest molasses. The "second" molasses is darker in color and is more concentrated than the first. The "third" or final molasses is typically called blackstrap molasses for its dark color. It contains the least amount of sucrose of the three and is typically more bitter.

The darker the molasses, the more its sugars have been transformed by carmelization, so the less sweet and more bitter it is. The flavor of molasses is far more complex than simple cane sugar. It's popular in gingerbread, spice cookies, BBQ sauce and baked beans. Molasses, unlike other cane sugars, can also help retain moisture in baked goods.

So, thanks to Harold McGee for this world of knowledge about molasses, its origins and uses. If you're baking this upcoming holiday season, be sure to have molasses on hand for those deep, rich spice cookies. Here's my favorite molasses cookie recipe - there's a relatively long list of ingredients, but they're standard pantry items so don't be intimidated.

MOLASSES SPICE COOKIES

Ingredients:
1/3 cup (about 2.5 ounces) granulated sugar (plus more for dipping)
2 1/4 cups (11.25 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (tsp.) baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice (for a variation, substitute 1/4 tsp. cardamom)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup (about 6 ounces) light or dark molasses

(P.S. If the spices in your cupboard have been in there since time began, do your recipes a favor and replace them before the holiday baking season is upon you. Fresh spices make your baked goods taste remarkable rather than simply ho-hum...)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1/2 cup of sugar for dipping cookies in an 8 inch or 9 inch cake pan.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices and salt in medium bowl and set aside.

3. In standing mixer with paddle attachment (or by hand), beat butter with brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes in the mixer).

4. Reduce speed to low, add egg yolk and vanilla. Increase speed to incorporate.

5. Add molasses, beat until incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.

6. Reduce speed to lowest setting, add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give dough final stir with spatula to ensure there are no unmixed pockets. Dough will be soft.

7. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll between your palms into a ball then drop in sugar pan and roll around to coat with sugar.

8. Set on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

9. Bake on sheet at a time until cookies are browned, still puffy and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft. (cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone - do not overbake!).

10. Cool in baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack for cooling.

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated Magazine, Jan/Feb 2002, p. 24.

Here's a link to Organic Blackstrap Molasses

Here's a link to Organic Dark Brown Sugar

And here's a link to Organic Cane Sugar

Finally, if you're interested in different kinds of natural sweeteners, here's a link to the whole sweetener & syrup category at shopOrganic.com.

Next up, the skinny on stevia....