Are you a fan of sweetened beverages but tired of gritty undissolved sugar ruining your drink?
Enter liquid cane sugar, a popular ingredient used in many beverages, including Starbucks iced tea drinks.
But is liquid cane sugar the same as simple syrup?
In this article, we’ll explore the differences between these two sweeteners and how they’re used in various recipes.
So grab a drink and let’s dive into the world of liquid sweeteners!
Is Liquid Cane Sugar Simple Syrup?
While both liquid cane sugar and simple syrup are liquid sweeteners, they are not the same thing. Simple syrup is made by dissolving sugar in water, while liquid cane sugar is made specifically from organic cane sugar and filtered water.
The main reason for making either of these sweeteners is to ensure that the sugar dissolves completely in your drink, preventing any gritty texture. Liquid cane sugar is particularly popular in cold and hot beverages, as it mixes perfectly and evenly throughout the drink.
Starbucks exclusively uses liquid cane sugar in their iced tea and iced tea lemonade drinks, but it wasn’t always this way. They used to sweeten their drinks with classic syrup, which is made solely from cane sugar and has a clear color and sweeter taste compared to liquid cane sugar.
Liquid cane sugar, on the other hand, has a brown color and a molasses flavor due to its combination of turbinado cane sugar and regular cane sugar. It is also less sweet than classic syrup.
While simple syrup can be made with either cane sugar or regular white granulated sugar, the ratio is always 1-to-1 with water. This results in a perfect level of sweetness and yields about 1 1/2 cups of syrup. However, for those looking for a lower sugar option, a ratio of 3/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water can be used.
In terms of cooking, cane syrup is thicker and more syrupy than simple syrup, with a complex flavor profile that includes notes of molasses and caramel. It is often used in desserts such as cakes, ice cream, and pancakes. Simple syrup, on the other hand, is primarily used in cocktails and other beverages due to its sweeter taste and ability to dissolve easily in liquids.
What Is Simple Syrup?
Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener that is made by dissolving sugar in water. It is an ideal sweetener for homemade drinks of all kinds, as it prevents any gritty texture and mixes easily with beverages. The ratio for making simple syrup is always 1-to-1 with water, resulting in a perfect level of sweetness.
To make simple syrup, sugar and water are brought to a light simmer while stirring regularly. Just before it boils, the heat is turned off and the mixture is stirred until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once cooled, it can be transferred to a jar and stored until needed.
Simple syrup is a staple bar ingredient, used in countless cocktail recipes. It is also commonly used in iced teas, cold-brew teas, lattes, and other cold and hot beverages. Its sweeter taste and ability to dissolve easily in liquids make it a popular choice for drinks.
How Is Simple Syrup Made?
Simple syrup is a very easy sweetener to make. The basic ratio is equal parts sugar and water, which means 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. To make it, add the sugar and water to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely, then remove it from the heat and let it cool. This will yield about 1 1/2 cups of simple syrup.
For those who prefer a richer syrup, a ratio of 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water can be used. This will create a thicker textured syrup that is perfect for use in cocktails and other drinks that require a more viscous sweetener.
It’s important to note that the final product will not be equal to the sum of its parts. When you mix 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water, the resulting syrup will only be about 3/4 the volume of the added quantities of sugar and water due to the chemistry of dissolving sugar.
What Is Liquid Cane Sugar?
Liquid cane sugar is a liquid sweetener made from a combination of turbinado cane sugar and regular cane sugar, along with filtered water. It has a brown color and a molasses flavor, which gives it a distinct taste compared to other liquid sweeteners.
Liquid cane sugar is often used in cold and hot beverages, as it mixes evenly throughout the drink without leaving any gritty texture. Starbucks exclusively uses this sweetener in their iced tea and iced tea lemonade drinks.
Compared to classic syrup, which is made solely from cane sugar and has a sweeter taste and clear color, liquid cane sugar is less sweet and has a more complex flavor profile. It is also a popular ingredient in baking, where its unique flavor can enhance the taste of cakes, ice cream, and pancakes.
How Is Liquid Cane Sugar Made?
Liquid cane sugar is made by dissolving organic cane sugar in filtered water. The process starts with the extraction of juice from sugarcane, which is then filtered and boiled to create a thick syrup. The syrup is then further processed to remove any impurities and produce a clear liquid.
Next, the clear liquid is combined with turbinado cane sugar, which is a less refined version of cane sugar that contains molasses. This gives the liquid cane sugar its distinct brown color and molasses flavor.
The mixture is then heated and stirred until all the sugar has completely dissolved in the water. The resulting liquid is then filtered to remove any remaining impurities and bottled for use.
Liquid cane sugar has a dry substance content of 66% and is commonly used in soft drinks, confectionery products, and dairy products due to its highly adaptable nature. It can also be used to aid initial fermentation in beer and cider production.
Differences Between Simple Syrup And Liquid Cane Sugar
There are several key differences between simple syrup and liquid cane sugar. Firstly, simple syrup can be made with either cane sugar or regular white granulated sugar, while liquid cane sugar is made specifically from organic cane sugar and filtered water.
Secondly, the ratio of sugar to water in simple syrup is always 1-to-1, resulting in a perfect level of sweetness. However, for those looking for a lower sugar option, a ratio of 3/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water can be used. In contrast, liquid cane sugar is less sweet than classic syrup and has a brown color and molasses flavor due to its combination of turbinado cane sugar and regular cane sugar.
Thirdly, in terms of cooking, cane syrup is thicker and more syrupy than simple syrup, with a complex flavor profile that includes notes of molasses and caramel. It is often used in desserts such as cakes, ice cream, and pancakes. Simple syrup, on the other hand, is primarily used in cocktails and other beverages due to its sweeter taste and ability to dissolve easily in liquids.
Lastly, Starbucks exclusively uses liquid cane sugar in their iced tea and iced tea lemonade drinks, while they used to sweeten their drinks with classic syrup made solely from cane sugar with a clear color and sweeter taste compared to liquid cane sugar. Overall, while both liquid cane sugar and simple syrup are liquid sweeteners, they have distinct differences in their ingredients, sweetness level, flavor profile, and usage in cooking and beverages.
Uses Of Simple Syrup In Recipes
Simple syrup is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes. Its primary use is in beverages, where it is used as a liquid sweetener that blends easily with cold drinks. Simple syrup can be added to iced tea, lemonade, and other cold drinks to enhance their sweetness without leaving any gritty texture.
In addition to drinks, simple syrup can also be used in cooking and baking. It is often used to sweeten fruits or as a glaze for baked goods. Simple syrup can also be used to make sorbets or frozen desserts by mixing it with fruit puree and freezing the mixture.
Simple syrup is an essential ingredient in many cocktail recipes. Bartenders use it to sweeten cocktails without adding any additional texture or grittiness. It is particularly useful in cocktails that require a lot of sugar, such as margaritas or mojitos.
Simple syrup can also be flavored with herbs or spices to add an extra layer of complexity to cocktails or other recipes. For example, adding fresh mint to simple syrup can create a refreshing flavor that pairs well with gin or vodka.
