Coconut Blossom Sugar… Why?!

Packages of white refined sugar ruled the supermarket shelves. Every tart and pastry could count on a few generous spoonfuls. But those days are over. Slowly but surely, classic sugar is being replaced by other sweeteners. Coconut blossom sugar is coming!

Or actually, coconut blossom sugar is already here. It isn’t made from blossoms, but from the nectar produced by those blossoms. The nectar is boiled and ground until you get a grainy substance resembling ordinary sugar granules. So why use coconut blossom sugar?

A favorite in Indonesia: sate kambing

Healthy?
Coconut sounds healthy. And blossoms do too, to some extent. But sugar is sugar. A better reason to use coconut blossom sugar is its flavor. Coconut blossom sugar has a caramel-like aftertaste. A great combination when baking with chocolate or fruit. Experimenting with alternatives to sugar isn’t always easy. Different types of honey or syrup all have a different effect on the flavor. Don’t feel like dealing with that? Then coconut blossom sugar is your thing.

Same sweetness
In principle, you can replace granulated sugar with coconut blossom sugar at a 1:1 ratio. At least when it comes to sweetness. There are differences when it comes to moistness, though. Refined sugar retains moisture, giving you delicious cookies, for example, instead of bone-dry crumbs. With coconut blossom sugar, things can turn out slightly differently. The sugar behaves differently during the baking process, which can make the end result drier. And dryness is not what you want for your cookies.

Coconut blossom champions
So what do you do with that jar of coconut blossom sugar? Here are a few coconut blossom champions: Making a syrup? Coconut blossom sugar dissolves perfectly and adds a caramel-like flavor. That also makes it highly suitable as a sweetener in your chai latte. Or even in your smoothie. Coconut blossom sugar also plays a starring role in homemade chocolate spread. Or something a little healthier: quick breakfast bars. And finally, this sugar is perfect for your homemade granola. Not tiny crumbs, but deliciously large clusters.