What Is Corn Syrup?

Once I began to work an evening shift at a bakery after cooking faculty, I used to be humbled by the odd hours. And I used to be equally humbled by corn syrup. 

What I had beforehand written off as overly candy goo was the key behind a delectably easy pecan pie filling, the right chew of an old-school sugar cookie, and even the magic of marshmallow fluff. The underside line: Corn syrup is a noble baking staple that even the professionals depend on. Right here’s every part to learn about this divisive sweetener. 

What’s corn syrup, precisely? 

Corn syrup is a candy, viscous syrup constituted of refined cornstarch and used as a liquid sweetener or thickener in sweet, pies, jams and jellies, and even beer. 

On the grocery retailer, you’ll discover two sorts of corn syrup: gentle and darkish. Gentle corn syrup is a transparent, clarified syrup that always accommodates a small quantity of vanilla flavoring. Darkish corn syrup is a mixture of corn syrup, molasses, and caramel coloring, which leads to a darker colour and a sweeter taste than gentle corn syrup. 

You’ll be able to substitute one for the opposite in most recipes, however keep in mind that darkish corn syrup will have an effect on the colour of your recipe and supply a extra intense and sweeter taste. Gentle corn syrup might add a refined trace of vanilla.

How one can use corn syrup

Corn syrup is a baker’s secret weapon. It prevents sugar from crystallizing (or lumps from forming). It’s a typical ingredient in caramel sauce and recipes that use a sizzling sugar syrup, like marshmallows or meringue. 

Whether or not you’re a novice or a vet at making caramel, use corn syrup to supply its signature easy feel and look (and for somewhat further insurance coverage in opposition to graininess). The identical goes for frozen custard. A small quantity of corn syrup within the base provides density, richness, and might stop the sugar from crystalizing. 

Corn syrup can be usually used as a thickener, and it’s the important thing to the gooey filling of a basic pecan pie or the chew of sure cookies like snickerdoodles or oatmeal cookies. Corn syrup provides a beautiful sheen to confections like chocolate fudge. After all, it additionally provides sweetness, which is greater than welcome when baking muffins, pies, cookies, and every part else in between. 

What’s high-fructose corn syrup?

The corn syrup that you just purchase on the grocery retailer isn’t high-fructose corn syrup. Whereas each are constituted of cornstarch, high-fructose corn syrup is ultra-processed. Cornstarch is transformed into sugar to make common corn syrup, however extra enzymes are then added. These enzymes flip a number of the primary glucose molecules into fructose and makes the product sweeter. 

Excessive-fructose corn syrup is discovered in lots of processed meals, like cereal, soda, and sweet, in addition to on fast-food menus. Nevertheless, it’s solely utilized by main meals and beverage producers, so that you received’t discover it within the baking aisle. 

What are you able to substitute for corn syrup?

You’ll be able to substitute for corn syrup, however solely in recipes the place it serves as a major sweetener or is the important thing to improved texture. Swapping in different syrups, like golden syrup, maple syrup, or agave syrups, work properly for baked items like cookies, muffins, and sheet pan treats like brownies or blondies. Nevertheless, these substitutes lack corn syrup’s capacity to forestall crystallization, a vital consider recipes like home made caramel or sweet. If crystallization prevention is crucial, it’s finest to stay with corn syrup.