Guide Note

Molasses, called treacle in England, is a thick syrup made from processed sugarcane. It is a flavorful way to add liquid and sweetness to recipes. Its viscosity make it suitable for chewy, dense foods like gingerbread cookies, and it adds textured sweetness to dishes like baked beans.

Fast Facts

1. Base material for fermentation into rum
2. Key ingredient in Shoofly pie, a Pennsylvania Dutch dessert
3. Added to white sugar to make brown sugar
4. Used to be as common a sweetener as sugar
5. Called "black honey" in Japan

There are three main molasses types that then come either sulfured or unsulfured, that is treated with the preservative sulfur dioxide or not:

1. Mild molasses: Comes from the first boiling of the sugar cane, and has highest sugar content. Most often called for in recipes.
2. Dark molasses: Comes from second boiling of the cane, has less sugar and tastes more bitter
3. Blackstrap molasses: Comes from the third boiling and has the least sugar. It is aso a good source of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. It is offered as a health supplement.

1. 12 fluid ounces of molasses equals 1 1/3 cup
2. Molasses is sticky, so wipe down the rim of the molasses jar before tightening lid
3. Store at room temperature
4. If your molasses crystallizes warm it up in the microwave or in hot water for a bit