Burnt sugar (zhzhenka)

Burnt sugar (burnt sugar) is essentially caramelized sugar that is heated to brown. It is used (albeit extremely limited) for the purpose of tinting creams, fudge, sauces, compotes and other drinks, as well as for their aromatization.

In addition, zhenka often means a drink like a punch, which is prepared from alcohol, some fruits, as well as, in fact, burnt sugar (more precisely, sugar added to the main mixture by melting). Outwardly, it is spectacular, and by the method of manufacture it is uncomplicated, a drink that was unreasonably expensive and was distributed in Europe among students at the beginning of the 19th century.

Different types of burnt sugar (burnt sugar), which differed in proportions and the amount of components, were known under many different names, for example, caramboli, gaudeamus, golden fleece, damn drink, burshen getrank and others. Through the fiction of those years, burnt sugar (zhzhenka) received an enthusiastic advertisement that did not respond to its real content.

Currently, burnt sugar (burnt sugar) is sold under the name caramel sugar in many specialized stores, so it is not difficult to purchase this product. This product can be bought both for weight and already packed in 100-gram portion containers. Our pastry chefs often add burnt sugar (zhenka) to creams for tinting them, and are also used to design children's cakes - it is believed that this is a 100% natural product.

However, most culinary experts still prefer to cook burnt sugar (zhzhenka) at home. To do this, you need to make a very thick sugar syrup, and then heat it with constant stirring over medium heat in a metal dish with thick walls. When the sugar turns yellow, the heat decreases and warming continues until the color of the burnt sugar (burnt sugar) takes on a beige or light brown hue. At the same time, burnt sugar (burnt sugar) should not burn, and specific caramel notes should prevail in its smell, and not burnt notes.

Harm of burnt sugar (burnt sugar)

The benefits of this product have been known to humans for a very long time, but regarding the harm of burnt sugar (burnt sugar), we can say that the adverse consequences of its use are similar to those from the use of white sugar in food. It has a devastating effect on our figure and teeth, so they do not advise them to get carried away. The most common thing is that we do not know about the dangers of burnt sugar (burnt sugar), but about its beneficial properties - it helps with coughing or in the case when it just feathers in the throat.