Biscuits are mainly composed of flour, sugar and fat. Last time we talked about the flour in these. This post will continue to discuss another ingredient – sugar.

Sucrose

Sucrose is the most common sugar, a crystalline tabletop and industrial sweetener used in foods and beverages. Not only does it provide sweetness, but it also plays an important part in developing the texture of the biscuit. On the one hand, dissolved sugars tend to inhibit starch gelatinization and gluten formation and produce a more tender textured biscuit. On the other hand, undissolved sugars such as sugar crystals give a crisp, crunchy texture. While baking they melt and then cool to form a glass-like caramel on the top of the biscuit. To produce caramel-topped biscuits, a sugar caramel device is required. Dry sucrose melts to a smooth shiny surface at 160-186°C.

               

Sucrose

               

Sugar caramel device

Invert syrup

Invert sugar syrup is a syrup mixture of the monosaccharides glucose and fructose. It is sweeter than common sugar, foods that contain invert sugar syrup retain moisture better and crystallize less easily than those that use sucrose instead. It is therefore used to enhance the moist, soft texture of biscuits. Moreover, it also contributes to the Maillard reaction in baking

Other reducing sugars are included in the biscuit formula in syrup form. For example glucose syrup, malt extracts, and honey.

Glucose syrup

Glucose syrup is a syrup made from the hydrolysis of starch. Glucose syrup is used in foods to sweeten, soften the texture and add volume.

Cane syrup

Cane syrup with 80% soilds is made by simmering sugar cane juice in open kettles until it forms a thick, dark syrup that resembles molasses. Used for flavor enhancement.

High-fructose syrup

High-fructose syrup, also known as glucose-fructose syrup, is a sweetener made from corn starch. It is much sweeter than glucose.

Malt extract syrup

Malt extract syrup is a thick glutinous syrup obtained by water extraction of malted wheat or barley. Used as one of the important flavor ingredients.

We will update the introduction of other biscuit ingredients in the next few articles. If you find this article interesting, please follow our Facebook▶https://www.facebook.com/biscuitequipment    We will share more fun things about biscuits both on our website and on Facebook.