Brown Sugar

natalie_ca

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I'm so sick of finding my brown sugar rock hard everytime I want to use it. I went to make cookies and the stuff is harder than concrete!

I know how to soften it (slice of bread or a fruit peel or soaked pottery) but that takes a day or two to work.

But how do you keep it soft all of the time so that it's soft when you want to use it each time?
 

samantha1979

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I know there is something you can do, but I can't remember right now. But when mine is hard and I want to use it, I just put it in the microwave for a few seconds, and it softens up.

That sounded a little dirty, but wasn't meant that way!
 

starryeyedtiger

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i put a small slice of apple in the brown sugar bag a few days before i want to use it- it keeps it from getting hard in the first place
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by Sibohan2005

Mom puts a piece of bread in with hers it has just enough moisture to keep the sugar soft but you have to replace the bread every couple months or so
That requires organization,


I was thinking more along the lines of a type of container or something that preserves it so that it's no fuss or muss to keep.
 

sandtigress

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You can buy these little terra cotta disks (I know Wal-mart has them) that you soak in water for 30 minutes or so, then throw it into the container with your brown sugar. Keeps (at least the majority of it) soft and usable!

Like these http://www.sugarbearsinc.com/
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by Sandtigress

You can buy these little terra cotta disks (I know Wal-mart has them) that you soak in water for 30 minutes or so, then throw it into the container with your brown sugar. Keeps (at least the majority of it) soft and usable!

Like these http://www.sugarbearsinc.com/
aww those are really cute!!! now i want a brown sugar bear!
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by Sandtigress

You can buy these little terra cotta disks (I know Wal-mart has them) that you soak in water for 30 minutes or so, then throw it into the container with your brown sugar. Keeps (at least the majority of it) soft and usable!

Like these http://www.sugarbearsinc.com/
That's what I'm currently using, but they don't work very well. I think I soaked the disk and put it into the sugar a few weeks ago, and today I went to use the sugar and it's hard as rocks. So that's why I'm looking for a no fuss method.

I went and hacked up the sugar with a hammer and screwdriver and put it into a ziplock freezer bag with that pottery disk, so hopefully it will be softened by tomorrow.

In the meantime until I find a better solution, I have marked on my calendar to change the disk every Saturday, LOL
 

crittermom

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I just put mine in a ziploc and put the bag and all in the fridge.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

That requires organization,


I was thinking more along the lines of a type of container or something that preserves it so that it's no fuss or muss to keep.
That is excatly what I do, after I open my brown sugar, I put it in a container, I have also put it in a big ziplock bag, and it always stays soft.
 

adymarie

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Clay! Put a piece of hardened clay into the bag and it will stay moist. They actually sell little clay shapes to put in with your brown sugar.
 
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natalie_ca

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Old thread I know, but I came across it while looking for another thread of mine, and decided to post an update.

I solved the problem.  I now keep the brown sugar in a sealed container in the freezer, and I haven't had another incident of rock hard sugar since.
 

catlover19

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Mine always went rock hard too. I use a container like one of these ones for my brown sugar. Mine is a bit different shape and the bag fits right into it.

 

Winchester

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I keep my everyday flour, sugar, confectioners' sugar, and brown sugar in large glass jars with tight-fitting screw-on lids. Everything seems fine, no hard brown sugars, no bugs. My other flours: rye, whole wheat, etc. are in the basement freezer in freezer containers.
 
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