Corn syrup

[Twoflower]

OK here is my problem i have found a really good book of sweet recipes but it's American and I've never heard of this stuff.........can anyone help? ???

[Twoflower]

[valmarg]

I think you better hope that Jeannine reads this, as I'm sure she would be able to help.

valmarg

[tricia]

I googled and found this:

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/items/__corn+syrup_W0QQ_dmdZ2?rvr_id=&crlp=1374852211_228459_228460&UA=WXI7&GUID=0cc367161250a0aad576ad76fe5556f2&agid=622699411&MT_ID=10&keyword=corn+syrup&ff4=228459_228460

(I get mine when I visit my sister in Canada).

Tricia

[jennym]

Use glucose syrup, it's widely available and usually the same.

[Jeannine]

Depends what you are making, when I was in the UK and couldn't find it I used maple syrup, but you can use golden syrup too.

It comes light and dark though but don't use molasses or black treacle.

It's quite switchable.. no probs.

Recipe???

XX Jeannine

[aquilegia]

How about agarve nectar/syrup? Or honey (although it might have too strong a taste!)

[Twoflower]

It's in a fudge and toffee recipe so i guess i could use golden syrup. I might do two batches and try glucose in one thanks :)

[Jeannine]

In that case I would use golden syrup, it is rarely seen here and would be first choice for taste.XX Jeannine

[jennym]

I think that for fudge, the reason for using glucose syrup is to help stop it "graining" too much (well that's what I've found when making fudge anyway) not sure if golden syrup would have the same effect, though don't see golden syrup as a problem with toffee which is a different kettle of fish.

[valmarg]

We'd all be interested to know how you got on jennym

valmarg

[jennym]

Well, I make fudge frequently, and always use glucose syrup. I make what's known as crumbly fudge, which although crumbly, shouldn't be sugary. The glucose syrup interferes with the sugar's tendency to granulate in large particles when cooling. It's added after all the sugar has dissolved.
Haven't made toffee in a while, but don't see the need for gucose syrup in that at all.

[lewic]

Have read that corn syrup is extremely bad for you, worse than sugar for destabilising blood sugar and high consumption is linked to diabetes in the USA.

I'd avoid it just to be on the safe side, use honey or maple syrup.

[jennym]

I use about 10ml in a 1.5kg batch of fudge, so don't think that the health issues are relevant in that respect. Honey or maple syrup just don't do the job when making fudge, they just don't have the same physical properties. Don't imagine that I'm advocating fudge as being a health food or anything - the way I think of things is that a little of what you fancy does you good  ;D

[Melbourne12]

This isn't such a simple issue as might at first appear.  First, there are two types of corn syrup, simple "corn syrup" which can be light or dark, and "high fructose corn syrup".

The corn syrup manufacturers say it's all very simple.  Corn syrup is glucose, and HFCS is around 55% fructose, 45% glucose, which isn't far from honey.

What they don't tell you is that either of the corn syrups is only about 26% sugars, although around 76% carbohydrate.  The difference is, to all intents and purposes, what we would call "starch".  So these corn syrups are significant thickeners as well as sweeteners. 

So for 100g of corn syrup, somewhat approximately mix 25g powdered glucose, 55g cornflour, 20g water.

For HFCS try 30g honey, 55g cornflour, 15g water.

These allow for the water content of the honey and the cornflour.