Effect of Heating and Melting Properties of Granulated and Powdered Sugars on the Quality of Candies and Cookies

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of sugars with distinct heating and melting characteristics on the quality of cooked products, with a specific emphasis on the role of moisture. Candies and cookies were prepared using granulated sugar W and its crushed form WP, which start melting at approximately 150°C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves revealed differences between the W-sugar and WP-sugar. In the absence of moisture, WP candies exhibited a more intense coloration than W candies. Conversely, in cookies containing moisture, W cookies were more colored and bitter than WP cookies. Prior to baking, dissolution of residual sugar was observed in the cookie dough, with solubility increasing as heating progressed. Post-baking, the sugar solidified, apparently encapsulating the wheat starch grain structure. The production of reducing sugars also differed. It was considered that the cooked product heated without moisture and the cooked product containing moisture had different sugar decomposition conditions upon heating, resulting in differences in the formation of colored and bitter substances caused by sugar caramelization and aminocarbonyl reactions, which influence both color and flavor. Thus, differences in sugar melting points result in variations in the quality of cooked products; however, these differences are not consistent because they are significantly influenced by the presence and quantity of moisture.