Honey has recently been considered a “substitution” ingredient, an easy way for modern bakers to sidestep refined sugars like corn syrup and granulated sugar.But honey should be respected and treated like the complicated compound it is.One of the main differences between honey and sugar is the boost of moisture honey adds to a recipe.

Honey is about 15% to 18% water, increasing the moisture of a baked good accordingly.As a rule of thumb, for every 1 cup (336 grams) honey you substitute in a given recipe, subtract 1⁄4 cup (60 grams) liquid (milk, water, etc.).Honey is also sweeter than granulated sugar.

In fact, honey is roughly twice as sweet, so a recipe that calls for 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar should receive equal sweetness from 1⁄2 cup (170 grams) honey.Finally, honey bakes faster than sugar.Fructose, one of the main natural sugars present in honey, caramelizes much faster than glucose (granulated sugar).

A number of amino acids in honey also speed up the caramelization process, making baked goods made with honey much more susceptible to burning.But this doesn’t mean that a recipe made with honey will need less time in the oven.Instead, it needs more time in the oven but with lower heat.

If adapting a recipe to use honey instead of granulated sugar, start by lowering the baking temperature by 25°F.All of the above details

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