but I have a strong memory of brown sugar not containing molasses. This memory tells me each sweetener was a step in the process of making sugar. That molasses was the least refined, dark brown sugar a little more refined, then brown sugar, and finally the end result, the highly refined white granulated sugar.
I can remember being surprised a few years ago when I read a label for brown sugar (trying to make sure it was made from cane, not beets) and the label said they had added molasses.
Did I imagine all that?
Ok, apparently not.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-brown-sugar.htmBrown sugar gets its distinctive color and flavor from the presence of molasses. It may be either unrefined or partially refined, so that it naturally retains molasses, or it may be produced by adding molasses to refined white sugar. The latter method is more common in commercial brown sugar.
I swear, google is something! Apparently now all the brown sugar on the grocery shelves is highly refined with the added molasses. At least, that's all I've been able to find, so I started to think, maybe I imagined all that.
I seem to remember it tasted a whole lot better, too. Grandmother's caramel pecan cakes with about 7 layers, all that frosting made from the dark brown sugar (first time I ever tasted a praline I was amazed - I thought they had Grandmother's caramel frosting recipe!).
And brown sugar on the oatmeal - oh, my. But it did harden fast - now this stuff never gets hard.
But it is terrific to have your recipe for adding molasses to the sugar - I frequently want to use brown sugar on something but don't bother to keep it. Usually I shrug and go on - now I can make my own. :-)
This new forum is pretty good.
Wat