Maple Recipes

recipes-highland-sugarworks

The Maple Syrup Basics

Pure maple syrup is a unique product of nature. Each spring, sugarmakers tap native sugar maple (Acer Saccarum) trees and begin collecting the sweet sap. The sap is then concentrated by boiling, to produce the delicately flavored maple syrup that is known throughout the world.

Native Americans were the first to collect the sap and use it in their cooking. As Europeans began settling in America, they too learned the process of tapping maple trees, collecting the sap in buckets and boiling it to yield a sweet, rich product. (It takes 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup.)

There are few areas in the world suited to making maple syrup. Of those, Vermont has long been recognized as the producer of the very highest quality maple syrup. This natural, flavorful sweetener is produced under strict laws which prohibit the use of additives or preservatives.

There are four grades of syrup -

Fancy - light amber color, delicate maple flavor
Grade A Medium Amber - medium amber color, pronounced maple flavor
Grade A Dark Amber - Dark amber color, robust maple flavor
Grade B - the strongest and darkest grade syrup, used mainly for cooking

Maple butter/cream is made by boiling the syrup to a higher sugar content, then cooling it and finally whipping it into a creamy consistency. It’s used like honey on pancakes, muffins and scones

Maple candy is made by boiling the syrup, whipping it and then pouring it into molds to harden. There is nothing else added to our pure maple candy

Baking with Maple Syrup vs. Cane Sugar

Substitute:

1 cup of cane sugar with 3/4-1 cup of maple syrup.

Why?

Maple syrup is less sweet and has a completely different flavor than cane sugar. If you prefer something less sweet, use the lesser amount of syrup.

But maple syrup is a liquid. Should I adjust anything else?

Because syrup contains more moisture than cane sugar, decrease liquid 2-4 tablespoons per 1 cup of syrup used.

Are there any other adjustments necessary to my recipe?

Because maple syrup has a slight acidity which needs to be neutralized for batter to rise and form properly, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. There are exceptions: Do NOT add soda if recipe calls for buttermilk, sour milk or sour cream, as these liquids do the same things.

Also, when baking, decrease the oven temperature by 25°F, because maple syrup tends to caramelize and burn on the top and edges faster than a batter using a solid sweetener like sugar.