Golden syrup

What is golden syrup?

Golden syrup is a translucent, golden-amber coloured, sweet syrup, which can only be produced commercially and was created in London in the 1880s. It is essentially white sugar/sucrose in a different form. This has been inverted, meaning that the sucrose has been broken down into two simpler sugars, fructose and glucose. The fructose content gives a heightened perception of sweetness so that, when used as a sweetening agent, about 25% less golden syrup can be used than granulated white sugar.

The flavour is light and caramel-like but with a finishing acidity that balances the sweetness and largely explains the great popularity of golden syrup. However, unlike varieties of brown sugars that have slight nutritional benefits over white sugar, golden syrup has no dietary advantage; there is no real difference nutritionally.

How to cook golden syrup

Golden syrup is best known as a sauce at the bottom of a simple steamed pudding in a treacle sponge, sometimes with only butter added but often also heightened with lemon zest and ginger; those flavourings combined with white breadcrumbs are the basis of treacle tart.