Maple Sugar - Sinzibukwud

Maple sugar can be used to replace cane sugar in baking by using 2/3 cup maple sugar in place of every cup of cane sugar. The smell of maple sugar is irresistible - it smells just like maple syrup. However, despite its strong smell, don't expect the maple sugar to make your baked goods overly maple flavored. You'll still need to add some maple syrup or maple extract to your recipe if you want it to have a strong maple flavor.

The maple sugar shown above was sent to me by Coombs Family Farms. I met them at the Fancy Food Show. They were as sweet as could be and very keen on me trying to bake with their maple sugar. They didn't have to twist my arm too hard!

Places to Use Maple Sugar

Here are some places that I use maple sugar:

• Use it instead of cane sugar in a cupcake recipe - I used it in my maple peach cupcakes.
• Sprinkle some on top of frosting instead of sprinkles for a little color and slight maple taste.
• Use it instead of cane sugar in pancake, waffle, or French toast recipes.
• Mix it with plain or vanilla yogurt to give it a nice maple sweetness.

Do you have other ideas? How have you used it?

Fun Fact About Maple Sugar

Native Americans called maple sugar "sinzibukwud," which means "sweet buds." I encourage you to call it that when you use it at home. It is quite fun to say!

Where to Buy Maple Sugar

If you can't find maple sugar near you, you can buy the Coombs Family Farms maple sugar online. On a somewhat related note, Coombs Family Farms also sells maple candies. If you have never had maple candy before, it is definitely worth trying. I've never had the Coombs Family Farms maple candy before (perhaps they'd like to send me some?), but I am a huge maple candy fan. I like it so much that we actually gave it away as favors for our wedding.

Photo from my wedding by Alisha Clark

A Maple Tale

Maybe it's because I've got a baby on the way, but my favorite part of the Coombs Family Farms website is an old legend entitled "How Mother Nature Fooled the Bears". It's just the kind of story that I envision that I will enjoy reading to my son. Some say that I should be reading to him in the womb, so perhaps I should stop writing and go read my unborn child a story.