Molasses

Photo: Euclydes Antonio dos Santos Filho

About

Molasses is a dark, thick, sweet syrup that is created as a by-product in the process of manufacturing granulated sugar from sugarcane or sugar beets. Juice extracted from sugar cane is boiled to crystallize the sugar. The sugar is removed, and what's left is a thick syrup.

There are three varieties of molasses. Mild molasses (also called Barbados molasses or first molasses) is what is left after the first boil. Second molasses is what is left after the second boil. Blackstrap molasses is what is left after a third boil. It the most nutritionally-dense variety of molasses, since it is the most concentrated; 1 tablespoon has 10%% the RDA potassium and 20%% RDA calcium, iron and Vitamin A.

Besides its use as a natureal sweetner, molasses are the base for the production of rum.

Pomegranate molasses, while molasses by name, is not made from this process and therefore does not have the same nutritional make up.

Information

Other names: black molasses, Mollasses

Translations: Melase, Melasa, Melasă, Melasa, Mật mía, Melasa, Melasse, गुड़, Melaço, Меласса, Μελάσα, دبس السكر, 당밀, Melasa, Tetes, Pulot, 糖蜜, Melassa, Melase, Melasa, Melassa, דבשה, Melass, Меласа, 糖蜜, Mélasse, Melasse, Melasse, Sirup, Melaza, Меляса, Melassi, Меласа

Physical Description

Thick honey like substance. Molasses is a viscous byproduct of the processing of sugar cane or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet, the amount of sugar extracted, and the method of extraction. Sweet sorghum syrup is known in some parts of the United States as molasses, though it is not true molasses.

Colors: Deep brown to black.

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Sugar, Syrup, bitter.

Mouthfeel: Sticky, Slippery, Juicy

Food complements: Baked beans, Sauces, Honey, Pancakes

Wine complements: Pedro ximenez

Beverage complements: Rum

Substitutes: Cane molasses is a common ingredient in baking, Often used in baked goods such as gingerbread cookies. there are a number of substitutions that can be made for molasses. for a given volume of molasses, One of the following may be used (with varying degrees of success): an equal volume of honey, Dark corn syrup, Or maple syrup, Or ¾ that volume firmly packed brown sugar.