Make Sugar

Kids may like to treat this recipe as a science experiment, especially if they can eat the results!

Household sugar is often made from sugar cane, but this is not the only source of sugar. When making sugar at home, it is more sensible to extract it from sugar beets, since these are easier to obtain and grow. This recipe does not yield a lot of sugar, but what you do make can be used just like store-bought sugar and can be made using ordinary kitchen equipment.

Instructions

1. Wash the beets well using a vegetable brush to remove any dirt and debris. Peel off the skin.

2. Use a cheese grater to completely shred the beets.

3. Put the beets into a large cooking pot and cover with water.

4. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to simmer. Allow the beets to simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Pour the beet mixture through a strainer into a large bowl; make sure you keep the beet juice. The beets can be eaten or discarded.

6. Return the beet juice to the pot on the stovetop. Bring it back to a simmer, stirring continuously. As it cooks and the water evaporates, it will continue to thicken until it reaches the consistency of a thick syrup.

7. Once the beet juice has thickened, remove it from heat and pour it into a storage container. Cover the juice with a piece of cheesecloth and allow it to cool for 12 hours or overnight.

8. Hard crystals will form as the liquid cools. Remove pieces of the crystal and crush it up into small granules. Use this as you would regular table sugar.

Tags: beet juice, from sugar, into large