Drying Maple Sugar

[S.S.S]

Hello everyone,

I haven’t been making maple sugar for the past year and have been drying it on pans with a dehumidifier. But I can’t get it as dry as I want it, how is everybody drying there sugar.

Thanks, Jon

[miboss]

I bring mine into an air conditioned house, spread out on sheet pans and turn it over a couple times a day. It drys from 1 to 2 days doing it this way. Sugar made from darker syrup doesn't ever get as dry as lighter syrup due to invert sugars. I've had lighter syrup get perfectly dry like white sugar. Sugar from darker syrup usually ends up like brown sugar.

I then package it with a desiccant pack or two depending on size of package.

[SeanD]

I'm still tinkering with the process, but I have been using the drying function on my oven the last few batches and I've been having better results. It's under the convect options. The oven comes with a stopper to cover the switch for the door so the oven door can stay open, but is tricked into thinking the door is shut. That way the fan still runs and the humidity can escape. I can set it to 140 deg or 190 deg.

I've been using 190 deg. Each batch is about 1.5 to 2 lb and I spread that amount out on parchment paper on two cookie sheets, so it is only about 1/4" deep.

I check it every ten minutes or so. Sometimes that's all that it has needed. A few weeks ago when it was crazy humid - even with the AC, it took about 30 minutes. If it is really wet, it starts to crust up as it dries, so I stir and break it up each ten-minute check. I'll spoon some on the sheet to see if it will creep.

When it is dry enough, I let it cool to room temp then run it through my food mill. If I do about 1/4 cup at a time, I don't have any trouble crushing the chunks into the size I want.

This is all a trial and error hybrid of what others have posted. Put your results on this thread for others to see. Good luck.

[whity]

Has anyone tried a food dehydrator with the fruit roll sheets? I have a dehydrator with adjustable temp.

[Sugarmaker]

Folks,
Interesting! I have never dried maple sugar! What am I missing? We only make 20 lbs per year.
Regards,
Chris