brown sugar
See also: sugar
White sugar with molasses added back in, giving it moisture, a deeper flavor, and a soft, clumpable texture; comes in light and dark varieties depending on how much molasses.
Buying guidance
Dark brown sugar carries more molasses than light, and is the better default where the point is a faint molasses note rather than sweetness. Store it sealed or it sets into a brick.
Substitutions
- Light brown sugar -- use about a quarter more.
- White sugar plus a little molasses -- effectively identical.
- Maple syrup or honey -- same amount; slightly different, entirely fine.
- Omit -- taste first; with sweet ripe tomatoes or fruit you may not need it.
Tips & common mistakes
Measure it packed into the cup rather than spooned in loosely, since a loosely filled cup holds noticeably less sugar than a recipe assumes; light and dark also aren't interchangeable without a flavor shift, since dark carries enough extra molasses to read as a distinct, deeper flavor rather than just "sweeter."
Storage
If it hardens into a solid lump despite being sealed, a slice of bread or a damp paper towel sealed in the container overnight will draw enough moisture back in to soften it, as will a few seconds in the microwave with a cup of water alongside -- don't try to chip pieces off a hardened block, since broken chunks won't measure accurately.