Cooking with Maple Syrup

Maple Syrup is sweeter than sugar and adds extra moisture to a recipe. 

Some recipes are easier to convert than others.  A recipe that will end up in liquid form is seldom a problem because the texture isn’t likely to be critical.  Some cakes on the other hand have a precise balance of liquid to dry ingredients and can be difficult to get just right.  Maple syrup not only adds a brownish tinge to whatever it is you’re cooking but also tends to make baked goods brown more quickly than sugar does. 

Substitutions

Maple Syrup can be substituted for granular sugar in almost any baked product with the following modifications to the recipe:

Use only ¾ the amount of maple syrup as sugar in a recipe.  For example, if the recipe says to use 4 tablespoons of sugar, use 3 tablespoons of maple syrup instead. 

For every cup of sugar, substitute ¾ cup to 1 ½ cups maple syrup and reduce the dominant liquid in the recipe by 2 to 4 Tablespoons. 

Add ¼ teaspoon soda for each cup of maple syrup.  This is not necessary in recipes with buttermilk, sour milk, or sour cream

Decrease oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

If substituting maple syrup for honey, use equivalent substitution

Alternative Sugar

Maple Syrup is a complex sucrose sugar with a sugar content of 66% BRIX. It is an all natural sweetener with no additives or preservatives. A century ago maple syrup ranked first amount sweeteners in the Northeastern part of North American and was most likely used as a trade item in early native cultures. Today, not only is maple syrup well known as a breakfast sweetener for pancakes, waffles and French toast but is gaining popularity in the culinary arts with chefs all over the world.

Nutritional Information

Maple syrup is currently being used for special diets. Grade B extra dark maple syrup is preferred by some special food interest groups. ie. Vegan's Kosher, cleansing diets

Maple Syrup is high in calcium and potassium. Maple syrup contains more calcium than milk.

Maple Syrup can be an alternative sweetener to those persons with allergies to other sugars i.e. white sugar, corn syrup, honey.

Maple Syrup contains B Vitamin, Niacin, Pantotheni Acid and Riboflavin.

Maple Syrup equals 40 calories.

Maple sap contains 8 major biochemicals:  acetol, isomahol, clyclontene, furanone, hydroxymethylfural, vanillin, syringaldehyde and dihydroconiferol alcohol.

Maple Syrup is a natural product.