Sugars and Syrups

Sugar and syrups adds flavor and sweetness to our baked goods. There are types of sugar that even add a depth of flavor and lend a caramel-y taste like brown sugar. It keeps our baked goods soft and moist. With the addition of sugar, during the baking process sugar locks in moisture which results in our baked goods being moist. 

As a preserving agent when added to jams and coulis or even things like cakes, it helps these products last longer. When dissolved in warm water, sugar helps in activating yeast during the fermentation process. The yeast is fed using sugar to speed up the process and help yeast activate better. Sugar helps in browning. This reaction is called a Maillard reaction, when there is sugar in a substance on contact with heat it changes color and caramelized. Sugar is a stabilizer. When whisked with butter or egg whites, sugar is known to trap the air and help in stabilizing.