SOFTENING ROCK HARD SUGAR OR ALMOND PASTE (2024)

FAQs

SOFTENING ROCK HARD SUGAR OR ALMOND PASTE? ›

Occasionally I end up with a sugar or almond paste "rock." In lieu of tossing it, I have softened it by adding a piece of bread for a day or two, in an airtight container. The moisture in the bread returns the original texture of the item.

If your marzipan is very cold and hard when you start to use it, you can soften it gently in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. Repeat if necessary. Please take care not to over-heat it though, as the oil in the marzipan can get very hot and could burn you and will separate from the paste.

Here is an easy way to make hardened granulated sugar soft again -- Preheat oven to lowest temperature, 150-200 degrees. Remove sugar from the package and put in an ovenproof container that will hold the sugar. Place in the warm oven for approximately 15 minutes. Tap sugar with a spoon.

Occasionally I end up with a sugar or almond paste "rock." In lieu of tossing it, I have softened it by adding a piece of bread for a day or two, in an airtight container. The moisture in the bread returns the original texture of the item.

Don't try to re-knead it back into soft fresh marzipan it will simply ruin the fresh with hard little lumps. Cut off the dried out sections and discard.

What can I do if my Almond Paste or Marzipan is hard? A. The first step is to check the expiration date on your box, which can be found on an end flap. If your product is expired, we highly recommend throwing it out.

The Oven Method

The hypothesis: Place hardened sugar on a baking sheet and slide it into a 250°F oven. Supposedly, the gentle warmth should take just a few minutes to soften the sugar, but you must stand close by, checking the sugar periodically and fluffing it with a fork for the method to work evenly.

Essentially, brown sugar hardens when moisture evaporates due to aging or improper storage. But hardened sugar is still safe to eat and use—you just have to soften it back up to a usable texture. If your recipe has the sugar dissolving or melting into a liquid, you can actually use the hardened stuff without issue.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap the hardened brown sugar in aluminum foil and place it in the oven. This will trap heat, causing the sugar crystals to separate. Check it every five minutes until softened, breaking up any remaining clumps with a fork.

Why Does Brown Sugar Harden? Brown sugar gets its delicious rich flavor from molasses. Molasses is moist, so as it evaporates and dries out, the sugar crystals start to cluster and stick together. Eventually, this will result in hard, rock-like clumps or even your entire bag of brown sugar turning into a brick.

What is the best way to soften hard sugar? ›

Place the hard sugar in an oven-safe bowl and warm it in the oven, checking every couple of minutes and crumbling with a fork until the sugar is soft.

Essentially, brown sugar hardens when moisture evaporates due to aging or improper storage. But hardened sugar is still safe to eat and use—you just have to soften it back up to a usable texture. If your recipe has the sugar dissolving or melting into a liquid, you can actually use the hardened stuff without issue.

I believe it is the moisture in the air (humidity) that turns hard candy soft with time. To speed that process along, leave the candy in a loosely covered container with a damp paper towel. If the candy is not wrapped, place a double sheet of plastic wrap between the damp towel and the candy.