My brown sugar got hard How can I get it soft again?

Answer 1

There is not real for sure way soften it. If it is hard that means that it has gone bad. Your best bet is to throw it out and buy a new box or bag It is better (and easier) to buy a new one then to hassel with trying to fix the bad one

Answer 2

I've had rock hard brown sugar and I put it in an air tight container with a piece of bread ....the next day it was as soft as when we bought it. Now I keep a piece of bread in the container ALL the time and it never hardens. You might have to change the bread once in a while, because it dries out in time.

Answer 3

Before it reaches the concrete stage, but when you notice signs of hardening, place an apple slice in the bag and leave it for a couple of days.

After the sugar is hard, you can soften it by placing a cup of sugar in a covered dish in the microwave and heating for 30 seconds or so. You may need to heat it more than once, but watch to see that it doesn’t start to melt. You can also heat the brown sugar on a metal pan in a regular oven at 250°F (120°C) for five minutes or so.

To keep it from hardening in the first place, store it in the freezer.

Answer 4

"Before it reaches the concrete stage, but when you notice signs of hardening, place an apple slice in the bag and leave it for a couple of days.

After the sugar is hard, you can soften it by placing a cup of sugar in a covered dish in the microwave and heating for 30 seconds or so. You may need to heat it more than once, but watch to see that it doesn’t start to melt. You can also heat the brown sugar on a metal pan in a regular oven at 250°F (120°C) for five minutes or so.

To keep it from hardening in the first place, store it in the freezer."

From: http://www.ochef.com/365.htm

Answer 5

Brown sugar hardens when its moisture evaporates. Storing brown sugar in a way that allows the product to retain its natural moisture—in its original plastic bag (closed tightly) or in an airtight container—helps brown sugar stay moist.

If brown sugar hardens, let it stand overnight in a sealed jar with a damp paper towel or apple slice. For a quick fix, heat the needed amount in a 250º F oven for a few minutes, or in a microwave oven on low for 1-2 minutes per cup. The softened brown sugar should be used immediately.

Answer 6

I highly doubt that it's "gone bad". Follow the above suggestions for softening it (except the ones that involve the microwave).

Do not follow the suggestions of storing it in plastic. Plastic should only be used for short-term food storage (e.g. leftovers in fridge, lunches), and even then you should use caution with plastic for food storage.

Store it in a glass container. Make it as airtight as possible. If you keep a piece of fresh bread or an apple slice in it (that will help keep it moist), be sure to change the bread or apple slice regularly (as both of those spoil fairly quickly).

I've encountered an alternative to the apple or bread slice, that works very well. Usually in grocery stores in the baking aisle, although you might come across them in specialty cooking gadget stores.

I believe it's a piece of clay, and there are simple instructions on the packaging. I think you just soak it in water for a bit. Then you keep it in your jar of brown sugar, much like the bread or apple (only no problems with spoilage). Soak it again every month or so (it says on the package) to keep it moist.

Answer 7

You can either microwave it in 15 second intervals until it loosens up or if you don't need it right away, throw a slice of bread in the container and that will do the trick.
Good luck, I hate when that happens

Answer 8

piece of bread and it will soften.

i put mine in one of those plastic containers you get from the chinesse food store, the 99 cent store sells 4 or 3 for a dollar, the bigger sizes, and i put a piece of bread on top.. never gets hard.

Answer 9

microwave it in 10 second intervals until it softens. In the future keep a saltine cracker in the box to keep it soft or store it in a ziplock bag.

Answer 10

Put some slices of bread into the bag and they will absorb the moisture.