Corn Syrup Uses?

[Hopz]

I have a bottle of Light Corn Syrup in my pantry and got to thinking...

Is this stuff ok to use in recipes that call for a simple syrup- such as a Mint Julep?

I know corn sugar is likely to be fructose instead of cane sugar's sucrose, but what's a few carbon atoms between friends? Right?

Opinions, conjecture and facts all welcomed.

 

[Alix]

Its lovely on pancakes. Or you can make Anzac cookies with it. Mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with molasses for either bran muffins or gingerbread cookies for a lighter dough.

Note: there are several recipes in that thread link I posted for you. Just use the corn syrup instead of golden syrup or honey.

 

[Andy M.]

I think you will find corn syrup is sweeter than simple syrup.

You should do a comprehensive series of tests, making mint juleps with various amounts of simple syrup and corn syrup and decide if it works well as a substitute. I recommend a series of at least a dozen mint juleps per round of testing. I'll leave it to you how many rounds of tests are necessary.

 

[pdswife]

I'd use it to make a nice pecan pie!

 

[lulu]

I would be thrilled to find corn syrup in my cupboard! We can get it imported here in UK, but it is very expensive. I add to the list of stuff I want from US...which is mainly sweet and prepacketed...which is food I never eat in Europe, LOL

 

[Hopz]

AndyM... I like your scientific approach. I will report back to the board...

lulu... cannot get in UK? Find yourself a homebrewing shop (big hobby in the UK)... buy a pound or two of "corn sugar powder" and mix with water. If it is too thin, boil for a while in a very clean and smooth pot.

Homebrewers, me included, use corn sugar powder when bottle to give the beer the carbonation. I will likely be fairly inexpensive.

 

[Dina]

You can even use it to take the bitterness on tomato sauces.

 

[lulu]

lulu... cannot get in UK? Find yourself a homebrewing shop (big hobby in the UK)... buy a pound or two of "corn sugar powder" and mix with water. If it is too thin, boil for a while in a very clean and smooth pot.

Homebrewers, me included, use corn sugar powder when bottle to give the beer the carbonation. I will likely be fairly inexpensive.

WOW! What an amazing thing to know, thank you very much! As I say, we can get Karo syrup, but it is dear. I'll check it out. My husband has been talking about homebrew......and I have been putting him off, reminded by the stuff my grandfather used to make...but now, maybe....lol!

 

[jennyema]

Corn syrup has a definite taste to it. I wouldn't sub it for simple syrup.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Corn syrup (light or dark) has a distinctive flavor, like maple syrups, which taste nothing like simple syrup. As a "flavoring" all I can say is try it and see if you like it in place of simple syrup.

I know corn sugar is likely to be fructose instead of cane sugar's sucrose, but what's a few carbon atoms between friends? Right?

Actually - when it comes to making candy, and in certain sweets like pecan pie ... those little carbon atoms do make a world of difference - both in flavor and behavior. Harold McGee gives a good couple or so pages description in his book "On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" and Shirley Corriher touches on it in her book, "Cookwise".

What's an atom here and there? Sort of like ... what's the difference in a few hydrogen atoms attached to a carbon chain? Well, mono, dy and tri glycerides ... and saturated, mono and poly unsaturated fats - for an example.

 

[Hopz]

Harold McGee gives a good couple or so pages description in his book "On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of the Kitchen"

Of course, McGee would have the info on this... thanks

 

[MJK]

Corn Syrup

Corn Syrup or High Fructose Corn Sugar (HFCS) has a lot of uses. Just look for it in about all of the prepared foods you buy from cakes to ketchup. Yes it is used in homebrewing for carbonation ( and personal exprience tells me it works well) and it can be used for about anything cane sugar can.
There is a line of thinking, and I believe it has some merit, that HFCS is the cause of childhood obesity in many American children as it is found in so many ready to eat prepared foods and in soda pop, even diet. Those couple of carbon atoms cause it to be metabolized in the liver and as such can lead to cirhossis and juvenile diabetes in adults. It has a long shelf life and is a favorite of corn growers everywhere. While I am not a doctor I would urge caution in its use. Anybody else have any other opinions? I would like to hear them.

 

[Claire]

When I was a kid, Karo corn syrup was an ingredient in baby formula (I'm the eldest of a crowd, so know these things). It was included to keep babies regular. I learned in more recent years that some docs recommend a dollop added to canned formula when babies are having a problem with regularity.

It's sugar.