The snow is melting quickly as the weather gets warmer. Winter is coming to an end and maple trees are making a comeback. And that means sugar shack time which is synonymous with family and friends.But how to cook with maple syrup?
The benefits of maple syrup
Even though considered a sugar which you shouldn’t eat too much of, maple products have several unexpected health benefits:
- Not only does it act as a sweetener, maple syrup is made up of 35% water, unlike white sugar which doesn’t contain any.
- According to a University of Laval study, maple syrup has a low glycemic index which would allow the most sensitive people to sweeten their dishes sparingly.
- Have you heard of maple water? Although relatively unknown, it’s worth getting to know. It has fewer calories than coconut water, so it’s perfect if you want to sweeten your smoothies a smidge. It also contains phytonutrients, minerals and vitamins.
- Canada’s reputation for maple syrup is well-established. That’s why consuming maple syrup products encourages local production.
Below is our advice on how to cook with maple syrup and enjoy the season to the max!
Cooking with maple syrup
Even if maple syrup doesn’t go on the market till mid-March, you can still cook with it all-year long. We love doing that.
It’s normally used to caramelize ingredients, create sweet and savoury sauces and dressings, as well as replace sugar and honey in mains and desserts.
Here are a few of our favourite recipes:
Caramelize your ingredients
Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon
Maple glazed veggies
Maple vinaigrette and sweet and savoury sauce
Maple base dressing
Buttery maple walnut sauce
Maple mustard sauce
Replace sugar with maple syrup in desserts
Maple Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Soft protein bars with chickpeas and apples
Cookie and Kate / Bonduelle Canada
A subtle change to your meals
Get a little creative: why not replace risotto with riced cauliflower?
Maple-Cured Salmon & Barley Risotto
Replace meat with maple tofu
Caramelized tofu
The best vegetarian and vegan sugar shacks
Traditional dishes with or without meat.
L’Érable Rouge
Domaine Handfield
Val des Rosacées
La Cabane à Tuque – (vegan, organic and all you can eat buffet)
La Pause Sylvestre – (vegetarian and family)
But if you’re in the mood to stay in, invite your friends and family over instead. On the agenda: a DIY sugar shack!
How to plan a sugar shack at home
Prepare the sugar shack theme
- Decorating the table
Believe it or not, it is possible to decorate sugar-shack-style without being tacky.
Here’s our list to enjoying the atmosphere of the sugaring-off season :
- Little log discs: use as coasters or place mats or put candles or other things on.
- Plaid: on tablecloths, table runners, throws or placemats. Your table will look just like one in a chalet!
- Deer and moose: print motifs on cushions or table runners.
- Raw materials: A mason jar wrapped in straw bursting with the first spring flowers or filled with corks as place card holders on the table. And to add warmth to your ambiance, perhaps a nice faux wood candle
- Taffy on snow
It’s definitely one of the signature moments during the sugar shack meal, so why not make some at home? Here are the ingredients you’ll need, as well as the steps for a simple, sweet treat:
Homemade maple taffy :
Ingredients
- Clean snow
- Salt
- 1 can 18 oz (540 ml) dark maple syrup for 8 to 10 strips of taffy
- Popsicle sticks or nice little branches
- Food thermometer
- Big pot
- Small ladle
Steps
- In your large pot, boil maple syrup for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, find some clean snow and then tamp it down (tap and compress).
- Add a pinch of salt to firm up the snow.
- After 20 minutes or so, check the syrup’s temperature (it should be about 240 oF).
- Set aside the syrup for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Using the ladle, pour a line of syrup about 5-6 inches long (10 to 15 cm) on the snowbank.
- Test to see if a popsicle stick sticks to the syrup.
- If it does, start rolling your sticks along the lines of syrup and enjoy!
Vegetarian or vegan sugar shack
- Quebec-Style Yellow Split Pea Soup
- Vegetarian cretons
- Homemade Quebec Maple Baked Beans
- Sautéed legumes with caramelized onions and bacon
- Golden Hash Browns
- Maple glazed holiday vegan ham recipe
- Savory mushroom spinach cheese crepes
- Pudding Chômeur
- Maple Sugar Cones
If you want to improve your eating habits, always remember that half your plate should be made up of veggies. To learn more, read our article on Canada’s new food guide (according to Health Canada).
2 teams pull on opposite ends of a rope where there’s a coloured ribbon to indicate the middle.
Objective of the game: Destabilize the other team by pulling them across the line that separates the two sides.
1 nail per player, 1 hammer and 1 log – so definitely a game for grownups. Players (minimum 3) each take turns trying to hammer any opponent’s nail into the log. You can only hit a nail once per turn.
How do you win?The winner is the last player whose nail remains standing.
2 people sit at a table across from each other. Players grip each other’s hand with their elbows bent and touching the table, then try to force their opponent’s arm down. Did you pin your opponent’s hand to the table? Woo hoo, you win!
- Sweet treasure hunt – in the snow
Have fun hiding sweet little candies indoors or out.
Young and old alike get to hunt for these maple treasures, then eat them all – okay, or almost all. A guaranteed gourmet moment!
So now you know how to cook with maple syrup and hosting a sugar shack at home. Download our sugar shack at home menu and have fun going maple.
Then in the comments section, tell us about how your best recipes and favourite tricks made this the best day ever.
FAQs
We're using rich and flavorful maple syrup in everything from breakfast quinoa to filled doughnuts and vegetable stir-fry this season. Infuse apples for an upside-down cake, riff on an Old Fashioned co*cktail, or candy sweet potatoes in between two baking projects with these autumnal maple recipes.
Is it OK to cook maple syrup? ›
Maple syrup that is boiled too long will crystallize and maple syrup that isn't boiled long enough will spoil quickly and will be watery because the concentration of sugar in the syrup will be too low.
Is cooking with maple syrup healthy? ›
While it lacks vitamins, maple syrup is rich in certain minerals, such as manganese. It also has antioxidants that may offer health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and supporting brain health. But, its high sugar content can lead to tooth decay and further health problems for people with diabetes.
What are the rules for maple syrup? ›
Grades and Standards
- Not more than 68.9 percent solids content by weight (Brix);
- Has good uniform color;
- Has good flavor and odor, and intensity of flavor (maple taste) normally associated with the color class;
- Is free from off flavors and odors considered as damage;
Early season maple syrup tend to be clear and light in taste. As the season advanced, it becomes darker and more caramelized in flavour. Maple syrup's flavor starts blossoming during the evaporation process. All the taste precursors are contained within the maple sap.
What mixes well with maple syrup? ›
There's something comforting about flavoursome maple syrup and maple syrup tends to be paired with whiskey and often rum in Old Fashioned and Sour style co*cktails. However, as the gin-based Old Vermont (below) proves, maple syrup's delicious richness can also work well combined with white spirits.
Does maple syrup expire? ›
Maple syrup can go bad, though this only tends to occur after the bottle has been opened. A sealed bottle of pure maple syrup, stored properly in an airtight glass container, will last several years, while an opened bottle can stay in the fridge for between six months and a year.
Can you bake maple syrup? ›
Baking with maple syrup is easy because substituting maple for white sugar is a breeze! According to the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association – and they should know – you can substitute each cup of white sugar with 3/4 cup of maple syrup as long as you reduce other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup.
Should I refrigerate maple syrup? ›
Once opened, does maple syrup need to be refrigerated if it's the pure variety? Yes, because it's a natural product with no preservatives and can spoil or grow mold. If your syrup is not hot-packed, store it in the fridge (even if it's unopened) and plan to consume it quickly.
Is maple syrup bad when heated? ›
Re-heating your syrup to 180°F should kill any mold or bacteria in your syrup and make it safe to eat. The sugar content will increase a little bit as some of the water evaporates from the maple syrup, but this probably won't be an issue for most folks.
You simply boil the sap until enough water is removed and you are left with pure maple syrup. This process generates a lot of steam so it may be worth doing it outside if you can because your kitchen can quickly fill with steam. Light your stove or turn it on and let your sap boil away.
What are the disadvantages of maple syrup? ›
Even though maple syrup does contain some nutrients and antioxidants, it is also very high in sugar. Calorie for calorie, maple syrup is a very poor source of nutrients compared to whole foods like vegetables, fruits and unprocessed animal foods.
Which is healthier, honey or maple syrup? ›
These sugars are primarily derived from simple sugars fructose. They also have a trace of carbohydrates and even lesser amounts of sucrose. Between honey or maple syrup, maple syrup is the healthier alternative because it contains less sugar as a whole. And essentially, it has less fructose.
Is maple syrup anti-inflammatory? ›
The study looked at how the molecule in maple syrup, quebecol, affected known substances in the human body that relate to inflammation. The experiments showed that quebecol was effective in preventing many of these substances from causing inflammation, further concluding that it is a great anti-inflammatory agent.
How does maple syrup affect baking? ›
When replacing cane sugar with maple syrup in baking, use 3/4 the volume of cane sugar. Maple syrup will add moisture to the recipe, so reduce other liquids to accommodate for the hydration. When it comes to stove top cooking, maple syrup amplifies dishes by balancing flavors with a robust sweetness.
Why should I use maple syrup instead of sugar? ›
As a natural sweetener, pure maple syrup contains more nutrients than table sugar and is therefore considered a healthier alternative to table sugar. However, it's still high in sugar, and like any sweetener should be enjoyed in moderation. That said, if you are to pick one, pure maple syrup is the natural choice.
How do you use 100% maple syrup? ›
Try these ideas:
- Stir maple syrup, butter, cardamom and nutmeg into mashed boiled pumpkin.
- Marinate salmon in maple syrup, soy sauce, chopped shallots and sliced garlic before grilling or pan-frying.
- For maple butter to serve with banana bread, beat 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup maple syrup until smooth.
For example, maple syrup is lower in calories than honey, and therefore may be the better choice for someone looking to lose weight. Pure maple syrup also has fewer carbohydrates and is lower on the glycaemic index than honey, which may make it healthier for certain diets.
