Stephanie's Food For Thought: Muscovado Sugar

I wanted to find an even less refined sugar than turbinado sugar that would have more nutrients. Muscovado sugar made the top of the list.  What is Muscovado sugar you ask?  Wise Geek says, "This cane sugar is made by pressing sugarcane to release the naturally sweet juice and then cooking it slightly before allowing it to dry. During the cooking process, various ingredients are added to help remove impurities that may be present in the sugarcane juice; typically, these impurities rise to the top in the form of foam which is skimmed out. Both coconut milk and lime juice are used in traditional processing, and these refining ingredients do not usually leave flavors behind. After the sugar is dried, it is broken apart and sold."  This information can be found here.  On Livestrong it says "Muscovado sugar maintains the same vitamin and mineral content as the juice it is made from. A 100-g portion of Muscovado sugar contains 3.9 mg of phosphorus, 85 mg of calcium, 23 mg of magnesium, 100 mg of potassium and 1.3 mg of iron."  The information can be found here

I don't plan on using Muscovado sugar very often, since a box just like the one pictured above was $4 at my local grocery store, but I really like to try new ingredients so I used it in the eggnog recipe.  In the eggnog it had a rich taste.   I believe it was the best eggnog I have tasted because I used a more full flavor ingredient. 

Non-Alcoholic Eggnog

My husband likes Eggnog.  When I went to the store and thought about buying it, I decided, NO I don't want to buy a drink where the first ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup.  I read a great book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver and she explained that we have an overabundance of  Corn and Soybeans.  High Fructose Corn syrup and other corn products are abundantly used everywhere.  Well I'm revolting, I will not by something with HFC in it!  Since I couldn't buy eggnog, we had to make it.  My husband helped me make the eggnog.  You will need eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, heavy cream, nutmeg and a pot and thermometer.

 Eggnog, tis the season.

 Ingredients for this recipe are: 1 pint of milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 ounce vanilla, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 4 eggs separated, 1/3 cup sugar (I used Muscovado).

 

 

 

Add milk, cream, and nutmeg in pan (I tripled the recipe, your mix wont be this much), 

cook on high just until it boils, remove from heat.

 Blend egg yolks and sugar together until dissolved.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

 Temper eggs with milk mixture from pot, slowly.  I used a small ladle to add milk mixture and stirred with a long handled spoon.   Add the tempered eggs to pot and whisk and cook until it reaches 160 Fahrenheit. 

Remove pan to ice bath in sink, add vanilla and whisk to cool of mixture.

When mixture has cooled add whipped egg whites.  You are done, pour into lidded
container and refrigerate. 

Enjoy!