Panela is one of the latest crazes in the world of unrefined sugars. Even the New York Times has published articles on Panela. This rock-hard unrefined form of sugar made from cane juice is healthier than its refined counterpart, processed sugars such as white and brown sugar. Let us take a look at Panela.
Panela is my sole source of sugar. I exclusively use Panela as my sweetener of choice for everything from teas, porridge, and baked goods. I use Panela to sweeten my morning cup of Cocoa Tea.
What is Panela?
Panela is the unprocessed raw form of pure cane sugar. Panela is made by boiling down cane juice into a thick sugary syrup. Then that syrup is poured into cone-shaped or round molds and left to harden.
The colors of Panela can vary from light to almost black. The color of the finished cones is dependent on factors such as the type of sugarcane used, the cooking time, and other production factors.
Origins of Panela
Panela originated in Latin America. You can find Panela as the sweetener in original Mexican recipes such as Atole, which is a Mexican drink made from masa (corn flour), spices, and sweetened with Panela.
Columbia is the leading producer of Panela. According to an article on Panela, Columbia produces 1.4 million tons per year. That is a lot of sugar.
A.K.A: Names around the world for Panela.
Panela goes by many names around the world. Here is a short list of a few.
- Piloncillo in Mexico
- Rapadou in Haiti
- Gurr in Pakistan
- Chancaca in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile
- Panela in Colombia
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Where to buy Panela?
Mexican Supermarkets are your safest bet to buy Panela from. This is where I purchased my Panela from. If your local grocery store or supermarket has a good international section, you may find Panela there.
Panela vs Refined Sugar
Panela is cane sugar in its raw and unrefined form. “Solid as a rock” is the correct expression to describe Panela. Therefore, Panela retains its natural vitamins and minerals that are found in sugarcane.
Refined sugars on the other hand such as white sugar have been bleached, processed, and stripped of all the natural nutrients.
How to Use Panela?
You can use Panela the same way that you would use any other type of sweetener. When I am boiling my pot of Cocoa Tea I just drop in a whole cone of Panela and let the heat melt the sugar in. Try some of my Breakfast and Dessert recipes that exclusively use Panela.
I hope that you enjoy reading this Guide on Panela. Let me know if you are familiar with Panela in the comments.
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