You might find Glucose syrup (also known as liquid glucose) listed if you pay attention to individual ingredient listings when shopping for desserts and sweets. So what is this glucose syrup? And why do some recipes use it? Keep reading to learn how to make homemade glucose syrup and understand how, why and when you might need it.
I mostly use Glucose Syrup when making Candy and sometimes in baked goods. It is a product that is easy to forget to stock, although it is readily available in the market. The good news is you can easily make your homemade glucose syrup at home with a few ingredients you probably have in your pantry.
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What is Glucose Syrup
Glucose syrup is a stretchy, clear, liquid sweetener used in baked goods and Candy. It is a product of simple heated sugar mixed with water and acid like lemon juice or cream of tartar.
Recipes with Glucose Syrup
- Caramel and Toffee Candies. Glucose syrup is used with castor sugar to make caramel candies that necessitate product longevity, and this is why most candies have a long shelf life. The stretchy characteristic of glucose syrup is also translated to Toffee candies once cooled.
- Sugar candy Pops. It acts as a sweetener while also improving the shelf life.
- Glazed Sugar Cookies
- Ice cream. Compared to granulated sugar, glucose syrup does not crystallize, making it a perfect sweetener in some ice cream recipes. Crystallizing in ice cream is the process through which the liquid ingredients solidify entirely, making an ice cream solid hard, commonly observed in ice cubes; however, not desirable in creamy ice creams.
- Fondant. Glucose syrup in fondant acts as a sweetener improves shelf life and promotes stretchy structure while limiting crystallization.
- Store-bought cakes. Most store-bought baked goods take a while from the date of production to consumption, making them receptive to spoilage or turning out dry. Glucose syrup has high dehydrating power, preventing microorganisms from getting into the cakes while retaining moisture.
- Marshmallows.
The science behind Glucose Syrup
Granulated simple sugar, Sucrose, is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose molecules. When sucrose is heated, it melts and breaks down into glucose and fructose.
Melting Sucrose(Simple sugar) =Glucose +Fructose
Difference Between Glucose Syrup and Corn Syrup.
Like in the equation above, when sugar is heated, it undergoes a chemical process breaking it into glucose and fructose. Glucose is a clear and stretchy thick sweetener used in pastry.
Corn syrup is under Glucose syrup but is not limited to only sugar, water and acid and can be made from different kinds of starches such as corn. In some instances, corn syrup contains a combination of both glucose and sucrose molecules like in high fructose corn syrups (HFCS). In addition, corn syrup can be transparent or dark. However, the uses of corn and glucose syrup are interchangeably the same.
Why do some Recipes use Glucose Syrup?
- Glucose syrup is a liquid sweetener used primarily on commercial baked goods as it restores moisture in pastry dough. This means commercial desserts made with glucose syrup do not dry up quickly.
- Compared to regular dry sugar, glucose syrup does not crystallize; thus, it is perfect in most ice cream recipes.
- Compared to regular dry sugar, glucose syrup has a higher sweetener power. Therefore, it is primarily used in Candy recipes.
- Baked goods made with glucose syrup have a longer shelf life since it prevent the growth of microorganisms. This is because glucose syrup has a high sugar concentration, completely dehydrating microorganisms.
Ingredients you need to make homemade Glucose Syrup.
Castor sugar. When the sugar melts, it turns into glucose and fructose. Castor sugar is preferred since it dissolves easily in water. It also ensures a clear syrup when cooked compared to granulated or brown sugar, which can easily caramelize and turn the colour light brown.
Water. It adds to the hydrating property of glucose syrup and ensures a slow uniformed cook while preventing the sugar from burning or caramelizing.
Lemon. Use fresh lemon juice. Lime juice also works okay.
Baking soda. To neutralize the lemon acid.
Homemade Glucose Syrup.
Course: FROSTINGS AND FILLINGSDifficulty: Easy15
minutesIngredients
350 gm castor sugar
200 ml water
100 ml fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp baking soda
Directions
- Mix water, castor sugar, and lemon in a medium-sized saucepan pan.
- Place over stove top set on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar completely dissolves( for about five minutes). Let it come to a gentle boil on low heat for about 12 minutes until the syrup reduces to about half the initial amount. Cooking on low flame ensures the sugar does not caramelize.
Glucose syrup will be ready when it reads 118C on a candy thermometer ( the soft ball stage).
Another way of testing if Glucose syrup is ready; use a silicon rubber spatula to scoop a small amount of the glucose syrup and drop it in very cold water in a bowl; it should assemble at the bottom of the bowl to a thick consistency, and when retrieved and rolled between forefinger and thump it moulds to a ball. - Remove from heat and let it cool to 60C on a candy thermometer, then stir in baking soda (baking soda is used to neutralize the lemon acid). Glucose syrup will be whiteish but it turns clear with a gold tint once it completely cools.
Let it cool to room temperature before using. - If you are not using it immediately, while slightly warm, pour it into a storing jar, preferably a clear glass jar, let it completely cool, then tightly seal and store for up to 1 month.
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