Types of Molasses

So yesterday I listed unsulphured molasses as one of the ingredients and I received a question regarding what was the difference between molasses and unsulphured molasses. I thought I'd answer that question today.

Molasses is made from sugar cane, which takes about 15 months to mature naturally. Because few places have the long growing climate to bring the sugar cane to maturity, the canes are treated with sulpher fumes during the sugar extraction process.

Molasses is made by boiling the juice extracted. The first boiling removes very little sugar and makes fancy molasses - it is of the highest grade and is used on the table as a topping on biscuits or toast. The second boiling creates the darker, more pronounced flavor which most of us are familiar and is used for baking. There is a third boiling which takes place which creates blackstrap molasses which is used in the production of alcohol or as a cattle feed.

So next time your looking for molasses to bake with make sure to read the label.

I can't leave you without a recipe - so here's one for molasses taffy:

1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. butter

Combine all ingredients is a 2 quart saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until syrup reaches 272 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour onto greased platter. As edges cool, fold them towards center or they will harden before candy is ready to pull. When candy is cool enough to handle, press into ball with lightly buttered fingers. Pull until candy is light in color and ready to harden. Stretch into long rope 1/2 inch wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Wrap each piece of taffy in wax paper.