Brown Sugar Saver

Baking Season is Here! 
And I bake A-Lot. 

When the holiday season is upon us, I dream of all the amazing things I'll bake for my family. This season, I planned on kicking off the festivities with my oldests All Time Favorite cookie: the Lace Cookie. It's Delicious, super easy and while recipes and names vary [Lattice Cookies are much the same, they just typically contain almond flour in place of oatmeal - we thoroughly and equally enjoy both!] one ingredient they have in common is brown sugar. Now, while I have at least 4 bags of brown sugar on hand, pretty much all the time, they have all been opened and have all since hardened. I've tried many methods of softening, airtight canisters, microwaving with a damp paper towel or a cup of water, marshmallows in the bag, bread...the list goes on. Some are more effective means than others but none provided a long term solution; that is, until my sister forwarded me a tiny little terracotta one.

The Brown Sugar Saver. These little guys come in varying forms. The Brown Sugar Bear/Maple Leaf/Disks/Gingerbread Men/Even Whales. I decided to go with the disk. It's smaller than the bear and easier to work around. Plus, the little cookie jar design on the top spoke to the baker in me. Initially, I didn't understand, let alone Believe these things would work. But, I ordered one anyway [Prime, of course!] and waited. Once it arrived, I excitedly followed the instructions, set it in the jar (and bag) of brown sugar and waited what was supposed to be 24 hrs but I hastily checked in about 3...Let. Me. Tell. You. These things Actually Work!

They will save you time and effort; I have scrapped and scrapped and scrapped with forks at a solid brick of sugar for longer than I care to admit trying to scoop out the amount I needed in the past to bake up a single batch of cookies. And scrapping out 2 cups is no easy feat! If you've ever had to do this, you know what I mean. So, do yourself a favor and purchase your preferred style of these guys!

Ok, the science behind them is pretty simple, they are made from specially fired terracotta clay; food safe and reusable. Which is better than using marshmallows and bread since those are perishable items. You simply soak your brown sugar saver in water for 15 - 20 minutes, pat dry and place it into whatever you need to be kept softened. They maintain moisture in [brown] sugar for approximately 3 to 6 months! Which is great for me since I do have stints where my love for baking is just something I don't have time for. PS, you don't only have to use them in your sugar! Its also great for keeping baked goods, raisins, spices, licorice, popcorn kernels and dried fruits moist. It's natural anti-caking benefits can be used almost anywhere in your pantry. Conversely, if you dry one out in the oven, it will help to keep salt and spices from getting clumped with moisture (it will also help to keep crackers and chips crispy)! Simply, bake to dry out in the oven, cool, and place in a sealed container with the food you want to keep dry. It's a cheap no brainer, just snag a few of these and you'll never have to deal with rock-hard sweetener again.

Here is a list of a few I thought about purchasing and the one I did: