Molasses

More commonly known as treacle or black treacle or, in the US as blackstrap molasses, molasses are essentially what is left over after cane sugar is boiled to produce sugar and most of the sugar has been extracted. It does have a sugar content yet it has long been valued rather more for its other important vitamin and mineral contents and for its intriguing rich colour and flavour. Molasses can be produced from sugar beet but this is too bitter for our taste palates and so it is sometimes added to animal feeds.

Once, molasses was treated with sulphur dioxide to lighten its colour but unsulphured molasses is the norm these days.

Molasses/treacle is the basis for making dark rum yet interestingly not (as you may think given the name) for the quintessential British treacle tart, in which the 19th century invention golden syrup is usually used. Before golden syrup was first marketed in 1885, treacle tart recipes did use a filling of molasses/treacle and breadcrumbs but once the public found they preferred the gentler flavour of the new syrup, they kept the old name, largely because the word 'treacle' was commonly used for all sorts of syrups made from cane and thus golden syrup was thought of as a light or golden treacle.