Inverted Sugar Thread: How do you use it?

[Matthew.Taylor]

So I've been looking into this stuff for quite awhile now, and today I took the time to make some. I know that Dark Invert Sugar is used in beer, and clear Invert Sugar is often used by bakers and confectioners. From what I've read it can do so things as help retain moisture, and help in making Ice Cream more smooth and improve flavor in sorbet's and Jams.

Of course, it should not be used entirely in place of sugar, as one of the things it does is make Maillard reaction (aka Browning) happen faster, and while this can be helpful in flavor and appearance, it can also lead to the outside of something browning before the inside is done (at least that is my understanding, I'm happy to be proven wrong). It is said to be best in supporting the normal sugar in a baked good or confection.

 

So the question I ask for this thread is how do you use Invert Sugar? Do you use it at all?

 

According to my reading, this link leads to the most commonly used recipe for it, if you want to try it out.

http://www.chefeddy.com/2009/11/invert-sugar/

[paulraphael]

Invert syrup can be used to replace a portion of the sugar in most baked goods, chocolates, icings etc. to improve texture and longevity. I'd recommend it if there's anything you make that tends to dry out or crystalize before you finish eating it, or if you're giving cakes or cookies as a gift and you don't know how long they'll sit around. 

 

When I write my own recipes I often just include trimoline as 10-15% of the total sugars, with a note that it's optional most of the time. I do it because I keep some in the fridge, and it can only help. At these levels I haven't noticed anything browning too much. 

 

Invert works as a humectant (an ingredient that holds onto water and slows dehydration) and as a sugar crystal suppressor in things like icings and ganaches. It can also increase the creaminess of some things. The only downsides are that you have to have it around, and it's kind of messy and annoying to work with. I would only include it in recipes that use weight measures.

 

There's also the option of simply adding equal measures of powdered dextrose and fructose. This is much easier, but the ingredients are quite a bit more expensive. I do this for ice cream, because of the ease and because it doesn't add any additional water. 

Edited February 19, 2020 by paulraphael (log)

[Rajala]

Regarding inverted sugar...

 

I bought a big bucket of inverted sugar a year back. Some French brand. I used that up.

 

Recently I bought inverted sugar from Sosa in a 1,4 kg bottle. However, this inverted sugar doesn't seem to be close to the same product. The French one's viscosity is very high where the inverted sugar from Sosa is more like a maple syrup and transparent. Can't come up with a better example, but you can pour it out of the bottle.

 

Have anyone worked with the Sosa product? I guess there's a lot more water in this one, so just thinking of how to use it compared to the other one. Whenever I see someone working with inverted sugar, it's more the thick nontransparent one.

 

[teonzo]

Never used the Sosa invert sugar. But looking at the label you should be able to find your answer. If it's not written clearly, then you just need to look at the nutritional infos, the label should say the total carbohydrates grams every 100 grams of product. Can't remember the water content of standard invert sugar, I'm sure it's less than 20% but I don't have any here to check.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[Rajala]

This is what I can get when it comes content

 

73% sugar in it. So I guess we're talking about 27% water in this product?

 

I just noticed that they offer trimoline, which might be the correct name for the product I'm used to work with? That have 81% sugar. But can't see how 8% more would make it that much thicker.

 

However, the main question, if anyone know; can I use this product in the same way if I take the different water amount into account? Below image is the product that they call invert sugar trimoline.

 

[teonzo]

5 hours ago, Rajala said:

I just noticed that they offer trimoline, which might be the correct name for the product I'm used to work with?

 

Yup, trimoline is the other name of that white opaque mass now called invert sugar. Up to the 90's it was the only term used for that.

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Rajala said:

But can't see how 8% more would make it that much thicker.

 

That's the saturation point. the difference is not from 27% to 19%, it's between "8 to saturation" and "saturation".

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Rajala said:

However, the main question, if anyone know; can I use this product in the same way if I take the different water amount into account? Below image is the product that they call invert sugar trimoline.

 

Higher POD means the sugar balance is different, the one in your hands has more fructose than standard trimoline / invert sugar. If you adjust for the water content then it should not be a problem, the main difference would be a bit more sweetness, not much about all the rest.

 

 

 

Teo