We now carry two new Annie's products that are gluten-free! Try out Annie's Gluten Free Deluxe Mac & Cheese and Annie's Gluten Free Cocoa & Vanilla Bunny Cookies!

By Dave Folino, Hillsboro Sugarworks
The recent relatively high and stable maple syrup prices have been caused by three major factors---the weather, expanding global demand and a supply management system in Quebec.

On Monday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. on Vermont Public Television’s “Profile, ” Fran Stoddard talks with Jack and Christine Lazor, who represent two generations from Butterworks Farm, a model of self-sufficient organic farming in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.

What to use instead of 1 cup of granulated sugar:
Use: ¾ - 1 cup of maple syrup.
Because: Maple syrup is less sweet than granulated sugar, if you like sweeter foods, you should use the larger amount of syrup. If you prefer something not as sweet, use only ¾ cup.

Decrease: liquid by 2 to 4 tablespoons per 1 cup syrup used.
Because: Syrup contains more moisture than solid granulated sugar which the recipe calls for.

Add: 1/4 – ½ teaspoon baking soda.
Because: Maple syrup has a slight acidity which needs to be neutralized for the batter to rise and form properly. Do not add soda if recipe contains buttermilk, sour milk, or sour cream since these liquids do the same thing.

Decrease: Oven temperature by 25º.
Because: The maple syrup will tend to caramelize and burn on the top and edges sooner than a batter using a solid sweetener like sugar.