How can I reuse or recycle … hard sugar?

Brown sugarJohn made pancakes for breakfast yesterday (mmm pancakes) and while we were digging around in the back of the cupboard for the golden syrup, I found two half bags of brown sugar.

One of them John put to one side when he realised it was just white sugar tinted brown and the other was from the time I obsessively baked ginger cakes. Neither bag had that much inside it but still too much to throw away – and both of them were practically solid lumps.

Is there any way to reclaim it from lump form? And if it’s gone lumpward, does that mean it’s probably past its usefulness? And if it’s beyond culinary use, any other suggestions for reuse?

(photo by hilaryaq)

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7 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle … hard sugar?”


  1. Cadan ap Tomos says:

    Dissolve the sugar in warm water and evaporate the water afterwards. Or if you are using it in cooking then just add some water to the mixture and it will come out fine… hopefully

  2. Michele says:

    A slice of apple in a container or ziploc baggie will make that old brown sugar soft again. It works like a dream.

  3. dancing girl says:

    I guess the sugar got a little moist from the atmosphere. I would suggest a strong plastic bag and a hammer! Bash out any frustrations and you will have loose sugar again.

    While we are on the subject of sugar: Here is a tip for recycling honey that has gone solid. It just means it has been standing for a while. If the honey has got water in it and smells sort of strange (a kind of woody smell)throw it away. If honey gets water in it it will ferment and go off. If it has just gone sugary and solid it just needs melting. You can do it on a low setting in the microwave or place the sealed jar in a gently simmering pot of water. Honey keeps best out of the fridge. Yum, I love honey!!

  4. Joan says:

    Just moist kitchen paper in sealed bag with the sugar or use Coffee grinder

  5. Amanda Kerik says:

    Brown sugar doesn’t lump because it’s too moist, it lumps because it’s too dry.

    Add a slice of apple and wait a couple days, it’ll be fine.

    The only time you know brown sugar’s stale is by tasting it. If it tastes stale, it’s very old.

    Brown sugar lasts a long time if it’s kept out of the sun, dust, bugs and animals.

    Brown sugar tastes wonderful in chai tea.

    Use brown sugar in homemade sweet and sour.

    Use brown sugar in hummingbird feeders (if you get them).

    It also makes awesome peanut brittle!

  6. Gulia says:

    Sugar never spoils. It is preservative of food.

  7. HuntingWabbits says:

    If it tastes ok, I’d take a mortar and pestle to it and just grind the hell out of the sugar block. A piece of terra cotta keeps brown sugar from solidifying, just drop it into the container.



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