If you love the taste of barbecue, you’re going to love adding a hint of smoke to your desserts and cocktails. With this recipe for smoked sugar, you can get super creative – you can even make smoked cotton candy. Let me show you how.
Ingredients
- Sugar: Use white cane sugar. Powdered sugar and brown sugar are not recommended.
- Smoke: You will need a smoker or grill that can generate smoke, such as the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill. You can experiment with different wood varieties to change the smoke flavor.
How to Make Smoked Sugar
Step 1: Use two small aluminum drip pans and fill each with 1/2 cup of sugar. Place them side by side on the smoker or grill.
Step 2: Fill the smoke box of your smoker or grill with wood pellets. Set the temperature to 160F degrees and the time to 3 hours.
Step 3: Allow the sugar to smoke for 3 hours, stirring it every 30 minutes to ensure each sugar granule gets kissed with smoke. If you see the smoke start to fade, refill the smoke box with more pellets every 45-60 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the smoked sugar from the smoker or grill and use it in your favorite recipe or store it in an airtight container.
Smoked Cotton Candy
Smoked sugar is delicious in all sorts of recipes, including smoked cotton candy. To make smoked cotton candy, you will need an at-home cotton candy machine. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Follow the instructions on your cotton candy machine to warm the elements and stop the spinning.
Step 2: Using the measuring scoop provided with your cotton candy maker, scoop out one spoonful of smoked sugar and pour it into the machine. Turn the machine on and the floss will start to rise in a few seconds.
Step 3: Place a cotton candy cone or straw to the side of the heat element within the machine and twirl it around. The spun sugar will start to stick to it. Move the cone or straw back and forth and up and down while you spin it to collect all of the sugar.
How to Add Color and Flavor to Cotton Candy
Smoked sugar will create cotton candy that is very light amber, and almost white. If you want to make it more playful, you can add food coloring and a complementary flavor like vanilla, bourbon, or maple.
If you want to add color to your sugar, use powdered food coloring to keep the sugar dry. Experiment with the sugar to powder ratios. The final color will fade slightly as the cotton candy is made.
If you’re using the smoked sugar to make smoked cotton candy, adding a little brown and yellow powder to make an amber color is nice.
The smoked sugar already creates an awesome flavor for cotton candy. If you want to add another flavor, start with one drop of a food-grade flavor for every cup of sugar. Adjust the intensity of the flavor by adding more drops if desired.
How to Use Smoked Sugar
In addition to making smoked cotton candy, smoked sugar can be used in various ways:
- Smoked Simple Syrup: Combine equal parts smoked sugar and water in a pan. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Mix into cocktails or tea.
- Smoked Pickled Red Onions: Combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 1/2 cup smoked sugar in a pan. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Place sliced red onions in a jar and pour the liquid on top. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and chill.
- Smoked Ice Cream: Simmer 1 cup milk in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk 4 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar in a separate pot over low heat. Pour the warm milk into the eggs. Heat to 165F degrees. Strain and cool to 65F degrees. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Churn in an ice cream maker.
Storage
Store smoked sugar in an airtight container like a jar in the pantry. After a couple of days, the smoke flavor will intensify slightly. Smoked sugar can be stored in a jar in the pantry for several months. Do not refrigerate or freeze smoked sugar, as it will clump.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does smoked sugar taste like? Smoked sugar has a subtle essence of smokiness. The smoke flavor can be varied slightly depending on the type of wood pellets used and the smoking time. 3 hours is the perfect amount. If you want more smoke flavor, cut the time to 2 hours. If you want less smoke flavor, increase the time to 4 hours.
What type of sugar is used to make smoked sugar? For the best results, use 100% pure cane sugar.
Can I smoke sugar if I don’t have a Ninja Woodfire Grill? Yes, you can smoke sugar using a different smoker or grill. However, most traditional smokers don't go as low as 160F degrees, which is the recommended temperature for smoking sugar. If you smoke the sugar at a higher temperature, it may melt.
Now that you know how to make smoked brown sugar, get creative and try it in your favorite recipes. The smoky flavor will add a unique twist to your desserts and cocktails.
If you want to know other articles similar to How to make smoked brown sugar: a guide for deliciously smoky desserts you can visit the Recipes category.
Related Articles