Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
foodies/cooks - interesting piece on cooking with corn syrup
I thought this was really interesting so I thought I'd pass it on. (PS - this guy's blog is great if you aren't already subscribed)
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/01/why_and_when_to_use_or_not_use_c.html
Because this comes up frequently, I'd like to take a moment to explain why and when one uses corn syrup in recipes. I use it judiciously, when I feel it will make a discernible difference in a recipe. For those of you who are regular readers of the site and my books, you'll notice almost all of the time, I hardly ever use pre-packaged or convenience foods in my baking. So when I do call for something, like corn syrup, it'll often be in amounts of one teaspoon or a tablespoon. And since most recipes feed eight-to-twelve people, proportionally, that's a pretty small amount.
For example, the recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies with Salted Butter Caramel has one tablespoon of corn syrup added to the caramel, to keep it smooth. Since the recipe makes fifty cookies, that means each cookie contains less than 1/16th of a teaspoon of corn syrup.
Yes, people who live in America probably do eat too much corn syrup.
That can be controlled and monitored by using less-packaged foods and reducing the amounts of fast foods that you consume. If you're worried about corn syrup "hiding" in foods, read labels, cook for yourself as much as possible, and buy locally-produced products from smaller producers who are less-likely to put additives in foods, so you'll be in control of how much you're eating.
There's a lot of studies, medical reports, advertising, propaganda, and all sorts of information being disseminated from a variety of sources. Evidence does point to high-fructose corn syrup contributing more than other sweeteners, to obesity and other health issues, and you can search around and come to your own conclusions. Since I'm not a doctor, nutritionist, or medical researcher, I've provided some links at the end of this post for further reading and you can draw your own conclusions.
My personal philosophy about corn syrup consumption: Like other foods that aren't don't meet a nutritionally-ideal profile, I limit my consumption of them, but don't obsess about it. I drink alcohol and coffee. I sometimes eat red meat and cheese, plus chocolate, ice cream, sugar, and Campfire-brand marshmallows, all of which have their detractors, too. I walk and ride a bike as much as possible, and try to eat a healthy diet that includes a lot of fruits and vegetables, proteins, and whole grains, which offset treating myself to those indulgences.
Corn Syrup FAQs
Why do some recipes have corn syrup in them?
Corn syrup is an invert sugar, which means that it prevents sugar crystals from forming. Microscopically, sugar has jagged edges and when you melt it, sugar liquefies. But if you keep cooking it to a syrup, those jagged edged-fellas want to re-attach themselves to others. Corn syrup acts as interfering agent, which 'interfere' with that process. Honey, agave, and the like, don't have the same properties.
If making a caramel, and a recipe calls for corn syrup, you can substitute a dash of lemon juice or cream of tartar, which perform nearly the same function.
In other cases, like my Best Chocolate Sauce, corn syrup is used to give it a shine. (See below.)
Is the corn syrup one buys in the supermarket the same at high-fructose corn syrup?
No. According to Harold McGee, high-fructose corn syrup goes through an additional process to make it sweeter than standard corn syrup. Karo, the company that makes most of the corn syrup found on supermarket shelves in America, has come out with Karo Lite, which contains no high-fructose corn syrup. I haven't used it so I can't comment on how it works, or if its nutritional claims are sound or not.
Will corn syrup make you fat?
Yes.
So will sugar, as well as other sweeteners. And so will French fries, red meat, chocolate, dried apricots, heavy cream, honey, nuts, beer, wine, martinis, croissants, and tacos, if you eat too much of them.
When can another liquid sweetener be substituted for corn syrup in a recipe?
Like the aforementioned chocolate sauce, the corn syrup is there for the shine and body. Not to prevent crystallization. So you can use another liquid sweetener, although I'd use one that was mild-flavored (like agave) or close to neutral, to keep the chocolate flavor pronounced.
I can't think of any cake recipes that have corn syrup in them, but my Butterscotch-Pecan Cookie Cups uses it to keep the batter smooth and to make sure the cookies will caramelize properly in the oven. In a recipe like that, I would not use another liquid sweetener.
When can one not substitute something for the corn syrup called for in a recipe?
For candymaking, I strongly suggest sticking to the recipe. If a recipe calls for boiling a sugar syrup, unless specified, stick to using corn syrup. Especially ones cooked to a higher temperature. Honey, and the like, tend to burn when cooked down, so care should be taken to avoid that.
If the recipe calls for cooking a syrup to a relatively low temperature (below 230F, or 110C), you can experiment with other liquid sweeteners, but I can't advise in each and every case. You'll just have to try it and see.
If one wants to substitute another liquid sweetener, such as corn syrup, honey, or golden syrup, for granulated sugar, what proportion can one use?
In general, liquid sweeteners should be used in a 3/4s proportion to granulated sugar if substituting. That is, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use 3/4 cup honey, or another liquid sweetener. If baking a cake or cookies, lower the baking temperature 25?F and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup per cup of liquid sweetener you're using.
If substituting another liquid sweetener for corn syrup, use equal amounts.
Why do some recipes for ice creams and sorbets have corn syrup in them?
I very rarely use corn syrup in sorbets, and don't use it in ice creams. Because it has more viscosity than sugar, some recipes call for corn syrup to keep the churned and frozen sorbets and ice creams smoother and creamier.
In my recipes, this is infrequently done in sorbets that have a lot of water, such as lemon, lime, or grape sorbets, which tend to freeze very hard and get icy. If a recipe calls for corn syrup, it's usually a minimum quantity. In those cases, another liquid sweetener can be used, or granulated sugar. If using sugar, increase the amount by 25%. (Ex: If the recipe calls for 3 tablespoons corn syrup, use 4 tablespoons granulated sugar.)
What can be used if corn syrup isn't available where I live?
Glucose is what most professionals use and can be substituted 1 for 1. It can come from different sources, including corn or wheat. You can look for it online or visit a professional baking supply store in your area.
Re: foodies/cooks - interesting piece on cooking with corn syrup
Very interesting!.
....these are a few of my favorite things....la la la la la la....Good stuff to know. I've always avoided recipes with corn syrup because I don't want to buy a whole bottle of the stuff to use a spoonful. I see images of a crusty, old corn syrup bottle stuck to the bottom of my kitchen cabinet for years. Ok, why did I have to click on that peanut butter cookie recipe???
Thanks for posting, ESF. I have never been concerned about cooking with corn syrup. (Isn't there a difference between CS and HFCS? I have seen CS listed as an ingredient in certain products, but HFCS is always listed as such.)
I am much more worried about corn syrup lurking in unexpected products. Have you seen the commercials for the new Pizza Hut natural pizza? It says there is no HFCS in the sauce. WTF? How much HFCS did I unknowingly ingest when I've had pizza from Pizza Hut? Who expects there to be HFCS in pizza sauce? I guess that explains why their pizza was always so sweet. At least with things that I bake, I know how much of what is going into it.
We have been going on an HFCS purge. I'm pretty sure the only things in our house with HFCS might be some jam (and from now on, I plan to buy HFCS-free jam), peanut butter (because I can't help it, I just love the stuff with HFCS much more than the "natural" PB), and possibly the H's sandwich bread because he likes white bread.