Brown Sugar is always hard when I buy it.

[karennoca]

A few years ago, I started noticing that all the boxes on the shelf are hard. I just went to buy some last week, and every box of the most popular brand was solid as a rock. Anyone know why we not longer get soft brown sugar anymore?

 

[florisandy]

I've noticed that too and have deliberately squished boxes to find the

softest on the shelf at the supermarket. It's almost hopeless though as the box will turn rock solid after only a few weeks even if unopened. I hate hacking up the plastic bag inside with a flat-sided meat mallet just to get a tablespoon or two.

This article explains why it hardens.

http://www.professorshouse.com/Food-Beverage/Topics/General/Articles/Storing-Brown-Sugar/

 

[meryl]

Ha! I do that too! Luckily most here can be swished, and once I get the box home,

I transfer the sugar to an airtight glass canister, mashing the few small lumps down with a fork. It stays pretty soft indefinitely.

 

[meryl]

Duh, I meant sQuished!

 

[cheezz]

The C&H in the 2 lb. plastic bag is always soft... maybe the box packaging is not airtight??

 

[tess]

Yes - I've noticed that too - I changed to buying the 2lb bags - always squishy

 

[curious1]

Me three, I buy the 2 lb for the same reason. I wonder what the difference is?

 

[pam]

One solution

William Sonoma has some airtight stainless steel cannisters that work really well for brown sugar.

 

[wigs]

Another solution is 2 use a "Brown Sugar Bear".They work great! I have 1 for lt brown & 1 for dark.

http://www.sugarbearsinc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PLST&Store_Code=SBI

 

[CathyZ]

Very old-time solution is to put an apple in a bag with the brown sugar to soften it

 

[angak]

this really works.

 

[amanda_pennsylvania]

Yeah, I had to do this recently. Amazing how it works.

I was so puzzled because I've bought the same sugar for years and kept it in the same container for years and now it's all getting rock hard. Frustrating.

 

[angak]

this works if you have patience and can wait for a day or so. zap the hard sugar in the microwave

for a minute or more for instant softening to use right away. this works well too.

 

[cheezz]

Or use a grater