and various products of sugar caramelization
and browning reactions between the sugars
and amino acids. The longer and hotter the
syrup is boiled, the darker the color and the
heavier the taste. Maple syrups are graded
according to color, flavor, and sugar content,
with grade A assigned to the lighter, more
delicately flavored, sometimes less
concentrated syrups that are poured directly
onto foods. Grades B and C are stronger in
caramel flavor and are more often used for
cooking, for example in baked goods and meat
glazes. Because true maple syrup is
expensive, many supermarket syrups contain
little or none, and are artificially flavored.
Maple Sugar Maple sugar is made by
concentrating the syrup’s sucrose to the point
that it will crystallize when the syrup cools.
This point is marked by a boiling temperature
of 25–40ºF/14–25ºC above the boiling point of
water, or 237–250ºF/114–125ºC at sea level.