What is the right sugar to use for this recipe?

[MasterBaker]

I am making a chocolate brownie cake which can be found here.Chocolate brownie cake recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

The recipe says to use 175g of caster sugar along with 75g of brown or muscovado sugar. Is it better to use brown or muscovado and which type, light or dark, as the recipe does not specify

[Andy M.]

Caster sugar is called superfine sugar in the USA. If you don't want to buy some, put some granulated sugar in a blender or food processor and let it run for a while. The sugar will have finer grains.

Use light brown sugar unless dark is specified.

[pacanis]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

...Use light brown sugar unless dark is specified.

Is that the rule of thumb when using brown sugar for anything?
I hate when recipes don't specify which they want you to use, when there are clearly two types.

[CWS4322]

We have light, golden, and dark here (as standard types). And then the exotics--muscavodo (which my package says contains molasses as well). I haven't used it, yet. I inherited it from my friend the retired pastry chef.

[Andy M.]

Brown sugar is simply granulated sugar with molasses added. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses.

[ChefJune]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Caster sugar is called superfine sugar in the USA. If you don't want to buy some, put some granulated sugar in a blender or food processor and let it run for a while. The sugar will have finer grains.

Use light brown sugar unless dark is specified.

hmmmm I always use dark unless light is specified. I like the butterscotchy taste.

Brownies are very forgiving, though. You can pretty much use whatever sugar you have, and they will be fine.

[betterthanabox]

I always use dark too. I just like it better.

[pacanis]

OK, We'll call it a toss up then. No rule of thumb, just personal preference. Maybe that is why a lot of recipes don't specify which to use.

[forty_caliber]

Here is an interesting article that details the differences between some of the sugars being discussed.

It's got a nifty formula for converting white cane sugar into brown sugar..."For domestic purposes one can create the exact equivalent of brown sugar by mixing white sugar with molasses. Suitable proportions would be about one tablespoon of molasses to each cup of sugar (one-sixteenth or 6.25% of the total volume). Blend it well, either manually or in a blender. This proportion yields dark brown sugar; for lighter sugar, reduce the proportion of molasses according to taste. If the requirement is for cooking rather than a product for the table, then blending usually is unnecessary and the sugar and molasses can be added separately."

.40

[Andy M.]

The recipe I'm used to seeing is one tablespoon of molasses to a cup of sugar for light brown and two tablespoons to a cup for dark brown. I guess it depends where you look. You can always make it with less molasses and add more if you like.