Golden syrup
Sweetener
Top 10 pairings
Golden syrup (also called light treacle) is a thick, glossy amber syrup made during cane- or beet-sugar refining, produced by treating sugar with acid or enzyme to "invert" sucrose into glucose and fructose. The result is a smooth, non-crystallising syrup with a soft, buttery caramel flavour, milder and lighter in colour than the dark, bitter blackstrap end of the treacle range.
Picking a good onedrag
Glossy, still, clean caramelFizzing, fuzzy, sour
Open in the cupboardEveryday bakingThe baking staple: flapjacks, treacle tart, gingerbread, parkin, steamed sponge and toffee all lean on it to bind and to stay smooth.
Hold the jar to the lightDeeper amber, still translucent against the window
Lift a spoonful outHeavy and slow from a cold cupboard, still smooth
Lid, rim and the first turnSound lid with a dried trickle down the side
Smell it off a clean spoonQuieter caramel, more plain sweetness than toffee