Now offering a new way to get your maple kicks. Maple sugar is a cooked-down version of pure maple syrup which has been boiled and stirred/strained down into a granulated form with minimum moisture content and nothing added. This was the traditional preservation method early settlers used for a sweetener before refrigeration or cane sugar was readily available.…
Fresh Picked Rhubarb
You know it’s truly Spring when you have fresh rhubarb for sauce, pies and cakes! I make my rhubarb sauce with Maple Syrup or Maple Sugar instead of white sugar. I also substitute the white sugar in the cake with Maple Sugar. The maple rhubarb sauce can be eaten as is, used over pound cake or ice cream.
Sauce ingredients:
Maple Rhubarb Sauce
4 cups of fresh rhubarb
1 cup Maple Syrup
2 tsp butter Read more
Quick word association – I say maple syrup you say……pancakes right? I certainly agree with this – I love maple syrup on pancakes or more accurately I enjoy a little pancake with a lot of syrup!! Maple syrup is a natural sugar loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that makes a great substitution for processed sugar.
I use maple syrup everyday in my coffee. I also use it to sweeten plain yogurt, in smoothies and on my oatmeal. I substitute sugar in my baking with maple syrup. Winter squash and carrots are extra yummy when baked with syrup! Top off any meal with a Vermont tradition of maple syrup on ice cream.
Maple syrup substitutions for granulated sugar:
1 cup granulated sugar = 3/4 – 1 cup maple syrup If you like sweeter food use 1 cup , if you want it slightly less sweet use 3/4 cup
There is more moisture in maple syrup so you should decrease other liquids (milk, oil,etc.) by 2-4 tablespoons overall (not each type of liquid).
If the batter needs to rise add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of baking soda to neutralize the slight acidity in maple syrup. If the recipe already has buttermilk, sour milk or sour cream this will do the same as the baking soda so do not add more.
Decrease the oven temperature by 25* as syrup tends to caramelize the top and edges.
Baked Maple Glazed Baby Carrots
Vary this recipe based on how many your feeding. I either use whole carrots ( so my bunnies get the scraps!) or I cheat and use a bag of baby carrots.
1 bag of baby carrots
1 – 1/2 cups syrup
3 Tbsp butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
Parsley
Mix all the ingredients in a large glass baking dish. Spread evenly. Bake at 350* about 35 minutes or until tender. Enjoy!
Ian demonstrating maple is naturally good straight from the tree!
Preparing sugar maples to be tapped for the first time.
Vermont Maple Syrup Grades
Delicate Rich Robust
