A: Molasses. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar.
There are also flavor differences, but you can use dark and light brown sugar interchangeably.
Brown sugar is actually made in two different ways, although both methods use cane syrup (which becomes molasses when boiled down), says Paul Caulkins of the Imperial Sugar Company (in Sugar Land, Texas!).
"Enrobed" brown sugar forms by mixing cane syrup into granulated sugar. Darker syrup produces darker sugar.
Or, sugar crystals are injected into cane syrup that has been boiled under vacuum to a super-saturated state. In this condition, sugar crystals grow. When they're large, the mixture goes into a centrifuge, much like a washing machine's spin cycle. The sugar and syrup then separate, leaving the sugar coated with a film of syrup.
Copyright 2005 USA Weekend and columnist Pam Anderson. All rights reserved.
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