White Sugar

• Refined sugar, the typical white sugar, is in this category, which also includes several other types. Superfine or caster sugar is ultrafine, and used for meringues and other baked goods in which a delicate texture is desired. Powdered sugar is very finely ground and mixed with cornstarch; it's used in to create frosting and candy, and for sweetening whipped cream. Pearl sugar (round) and crystal sugar (oblong) both start out as refined sugar, but are processed into their shapes for garnishing baked goods and adding sparkle.

Brown Sugar

• A sugar's color doesn't necessarily indicate whether it's less processed. Light and dark brown sugars, while they look less processed, are actually refined sugar that has been combined with molasses to bring more moisture and a heartier flavor to a recipe. Other sugars classified as brown sugars, however, are less processed. Turbinado sugar is coarse-grained raw sugar that has been steam cleaned to remove surface molasses. A free-flowing, finer grained sugar is evaporated cane juice, made by heating the sugar cane juice until syrupy, and then crystallizing and curing it. Demerera and Muscovado are both raw sugars that have been purified, but retain a toffee-like or molasses flavor, respectively.

Liquid Sugar

• While white and brown sugars primarily come from sugar beets or sugar cane, liquid sugars have many sources. Besides the common trait of being liquids, these sugars also bring moisture to baked goods which is important especially for long-term storage. Corn syrup is made by combining cornstarch with an enzyme that converts starch to sugar. Maple syrup is created by boiling the sap from sugar maple trees. Honey is the result of bees gathering flower nectar, and is collected from beehives. Agave syrup is made from the agave plant, and sorghum molasses is the result of boiling the juice from sorghum plants until it has the consistency of syrup.

Other Sugars

• Some sugars do not fit neatly into the other categories, but are still sugars. Date sugar is the result of drying dates and grinding them up. Though it does not dissolve easily, it provides a caramel-like flavor. Maple sugar is made by boiling the sap of the maple trees past the point for syrup until it becomes crystallized. Coconut sugar, like maple sugar, is made by tapping the sap from coconut trees and boiling it to reduce it down to crystals. Though it has a richer taste like brown sugar, coconut sugar can be used on a 1-to-1 substitute basis for white sugar.