Turbinado Sugar:
1. Harvesting:
Sugarcane is harvested and stripped of its leaves.
2. Crushing and Extraction:
The sugarcane is crushed to extract the juice.
3. Clarification:
The juice is heated and treated with lime to remove impurities.
4. Evaporation:
The clarified juice is boiled to evaporate much of the water, resulting in a thick syrup.
5. Crystallization:
The syrup is cooled, prompting sugar crystals to form. These crystals are then spun in a centrifuge to remove excess moisture and molasses.
6. Drying:
Warm air is used to dry the partially refined sugar crystals, removing any remaining moisture.
7. Packaging:
The dried sugar crystals are packaged and sold as Turbinado sugar.
Demerara Sugar:
1. Harvesting:
Sugarcane is harvested and stripped of its leaves.
2. Crushing and Extraction:
The sugarcane is crushed to extract the juice.
3. Clarification:
The juice is heated and treated with lime to eliminate impurities.
4. Evaporation and Crystallization:
The clarified juice is further evaporated to reach a semi-solid state known as “treacle.” This treacle is seeded with sugar crystals and stirred to encourage crystal growth.
5. Centrifugation:
The mixture is spun in a centrifuge to separate the sugar crystals from the treacle, removing most of the molasses but leaving some traces.
6. Drying:
The sugar crystals are dried with warm air to eliminate any remaining moisture.
7. Packaging:
The dried sugar crystals are packaged and sold as Demerara sugar.
Key Differences:
The primary distinction between Turbinado and Demerara sugars lies in the stage of molasses separation. Turbinado sugar undergoes centrifugation during the crystallization stage, which removes a significant amount of molasses, resulting in a lighter color and finer texture. In contrast, Demerara sugar has its molasses content reduced through centrifugation after the crystallization process, retaining a higher molasses content. This results in Demerara sugar having larger crystals, a slight stickiness, a deeper color, and a richer flavor compared to Turbinado sugar.
Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right sugar for various culinary uses, whether you need the refined appearance of Turbinado or the robust flavor of Demerara.
See also the difference in process between Turbinado and Demerara sugars
Site Author, David J. Curtis: David Curtis, a seasoned professional with decades of Bartending and Bar Management experience began his career in Midtown Manhattan, NY, tending and managing bars before diving into Manhattan’s bustling nightlife club scene. Over the years, he has mastered high-volume, high-pressure bartending as the lead bartender in iconic Midtown Manhattan nightclubs (Pursuits, Sybils, Club 53), Coconuts Comedy Club, the Fitzpatrick Hotel, British Airways Hotel, and tended bar briefly in the Wall Street area, generating over $1,350,000.00 annually in personal drink sales. He has since extended his expertise to establishments in Georgia (Marriot Hotel) and now Tampa Florida, in an Exclusive Platinum Service Award winning club. David’s roles as a Bartending Instructor at the American Bartending School in Tampa, while maintaining a second job bartending, and his years experience of managing bars, and working as a Brand Ambassador along with his extensive professional library of over 1,000 bartending books, highlight his dedication to continually refining his craft. He holds a diploma in Bar Management and is BarSmarts certified by Pernod Ricard.
Footnotes 👇
- The term “Demerara sugar” can now only be used for sugar produced in the Demerara region of Guyana, following recent changes in geographical indication laws. This decision aims to protect the authenticity and unique qualities of Demerara sugar, ensuring that only sugar made in this specific region can bear the name. This change highlights the importance of preserving the traditional methods and characteristics associated with Demerara sugar, similar to how the EU protects the names of certain regional products [❞].[↩]
